


The Dragon Knight

by SarcasticSketches



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff, Multi, No Smut, Pre-Calamity, based off of my posts on tumblr, dragon!link
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-03
Updated: 2020-02-08
Packaged: 2020-02-16 15:05:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 126,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18693889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SarcasticSketches/pseuds/SarcasticSketches
Summary: During Link and Zelda’s first excursion together to the Spring of Courage, as Princess and newly appointed knight, Link is transformed into a beast befitting the Goddess Chosen and the Zonai symbol of Courage; a Dragon. Now Zelda must learn to appreciate him more for who he is rather than what he represents before Calamity Ganon returns, all while Link tries to balance his new form and still do his job.





	1. Test Run

The Kingdom of Hyrule, for the most part, was a peaceful land that boasted a variety of flora and fauna and operated under the unification of its denizens through the Hylian Monarchy. The ruling monarchs were tasked with safe-keeping their Kingdom and all who dwelled within it. They were also tasked with preserving the lands history, including its many legends of past Princesses and Heroes. 

The current Princess, Zelda, was the inheritor of a divine light which would one day seal away a dark, malicious entity known in this Era as the Calamity. A divine light that was, by all accounts, her birth rite… except that, no matter how hard she tried, the Princess had yet to access it. While the King assured the general populace that their plans to fight off the Calamity – should it ever return – were all in place, there was a budding unease with each day that passed where the legendary Princess failed to awaken her powers.

Thank fully, the Kingdom had the appearance of the Hero to reassure them. He had come forward with the Sword of Evil’s Bane already within his possession during his early teens, so the people at least had that to fall back on. They felt safe knowing that their Kingdom was being actively protected.

Princess Zelda, was many things; studious, observant, dedicated, and tenacious. There were not many obstacles that she had not managed to overcome, and she continued to work on the ones that still blocked her way. She was open-minded and free-spirited, finding great joy in her research and sharing her knowledge with others.

However, she was also still a teenage girl, having barely just turned sixteen with an entire Kingdom’s expectations on her. For nearly a decade she had been trying to get her powers to manifest to no avail and even her research could not let her forget about it for long. _Because she wasn’t trying hard enough_. 

Nobody dared say it directly to her face, besides her own father, but she knew it had to be a common thought of the people. How could they not think so when after ten years she still had nothing to show for her efforts and yet she persisted, because she had no other choice.

So, it should not have come as a surprise that the Princess reacted to her fathers latest decree with resistance and despair.

“Zelda, I will not hear another word about it,” the King ordered, staring down at his fuming daughter. “He is your Appointed Knight and bearer of the Master Sword, he is to accompany you to ensure your safety both in and out of these walls. I just don’t understand your dislike for the boy, I thought having a guard near your own age would have made it easier for you.”

Ideally, Zelda would have preferred no guards at all but she realised that due to her position as the sole heir to the Throne asking to be left alone completely was too much. But did it have to be the one person whose mere existence highlighted all of her flaws? The boy her father always compared her to. The knight everyone seemed to like and could reflect guardian beams with nothing but a pot lid. Link, the Hero, the Hylian Champion, the one she had been made to bless for his future successes in front of the rest of her Champions. 

The one who _never spoke a word_.

Admittedly, she probably wouldn’t have minded as much if he was just mute, but he gave nothing away in his expressions either. Since he’d been inducted as her appointed knight he had performed his duty admirably and without complaint; meeting her at her door early every morning and accompanying her all over the Castle throughout the day. After observing him over the last month, she was unable to find fault in his work conduct and that just incensed her all the more. Having to officially sanctify his position with a ceremony on the Sacred Grounds had made her seethe but she had done as she was asked by her father, who had thought Daruk’s suggestion was a marvellous idea. But ultimately, she knew why the Hero had been assigned to her. 

As a reminder to try harder. To reach his level. The boy who had found his destiny at just fifteen years of age.

Zelda wilted a little under the onslaught of resentment and guilt following her father’s words and she said nothing more on the subject. The King’s word was final, after all.

_Yes father, I will go to the Spring of Courage and I will take Link with me for a – as you so tactfully put it - a test run._

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

It was a mild day at the very end of autumn, on the cusp of winter, so Link was packing accordingly. While Central Hyrule would not see snow for several weeks yet, the air was already turning crisper and dew collected on the blades of grass across Hyrule Field.

Thank fully, neither Link nor the Princess of Hyrule would be walking to the Spring of Courage, so he did not need to worry about waterproofing his boots against the damp. He did not mind rain after having been forced to train in all sorts of weather conditions, but damp socks tended to make one depressed. 

Conversely, the Zora thrived in this type of weather which was why Mipha, the Princess of the Zora, had been happy to swim down the Zora River to Hyrule Castle in order to see Link off on his first mission accompanying Princess Zelda. 

“You’re going to be fine, you know?” Mipha assured him for what was quite possibly the third time since she had arrived at his quarters. “I imagine protecting the Princess is a tall order, but you are about as tenacious as I remember her to be. I’m sure this small trip will seem like a breeze to you.” 

Link was facing away from her as he fastened his belt around his hips but he felt his mouth tick upwards for a moment before he smoothed out his facial features once again. Even though it was just her sat on his bed, with Sergeant Seggin standing outside of his partially closed door, he felt it was easier to keep his emotions in check at all times. Letting some through while trying to contain others would lead to slip ups, but he appreciated her encouragement anyway.

He looked over his shoulder and nodded to her, thankful that he didn’t have to do anymore than that for her to understand him. Mipha was gifted in not only healing but also empathy and she had adjusted well when she discovered that her once energetic and spontaneous Hylian friend was gradually becoming quieter and more reserved in his actions. However, she never pressed him to open up just for her and would always remind him that she was there for him should he need it.

She understood the pressures and responsibilities that had suddenly been placed upon him and so neither of them felt the need to discuss it.

“I’ve never been to the Faron region before,” Mipha lamented, tapping her feet against the hardwood floor. “It’s humid enough but I’ve never had cause to go and now doesn’t seem like a good time to be taking frivolous trips halfway across the country either.” 

Privately, Link thought that now was a good a time as any to see places you hadn’t had chance to before, but this line of thought would also make him a hypocrite. He, like the rest of the Champions it seemed, didn’t want to be seen taking a laid back approach to the threat of Calamity Ganon’s return. Still, with all that was at stake, he felt it necessary to encourage those around him to live their best life. With a small sigh, he finished fixing his belt in place and smoothed out his tunic before taking a seat next to Mipha.

She turned to smile at him.

“Then again, even we should be able to enjoy days of spontaneity, right?”

Link gestured to her and then to himself, nodding again as he did so.

“The both of us, then? That sounds nice.”

It was good to sit beside each other in companionable silence, imagining trips they could organise once they were freed of their obligations. As a Princess, Mipha would never be truly free of her responsibilities but she at least had those around her for support should she need time to herself. As for Link, he wasn’t sure what he would be doing years from now and resisted dwelling on it, instead focusing on fictional days out with Mipha. He could practically feel his heart rate begin to slow down as his body settled.

Unfortunately, any further attempts to immerse themselves in future plans were interrupted by a knock on the door.

“Princess, it is time we returned to the Domain. Master Link will need to head out soon,” Seggin said, a gentle reminder that they did not have all day to talk. As much as he would have liked to give it to them. 

“Thank you, Sergeant. May we walk with Link to the gates?”

“If you wish, my lady.”

Mipha beamed and Link had to repress a laugh. _As if anyone could have stopped her if they tried._

However, just as Link was standing up to leave she reached out to hold his hand in both of hers. He looked down at her, a little startled at the contact.

“Link, I know that you have decided that bottling up your feelings is the only way you can deal with your new role and as your friend I wish that were not so but I do understand,” Mipha admitted and Link fought with himself not to break eye-contact even though he desperately wanted to. “Our time together these days is limited so I cannot help you as much as I would like, but know that the Princess does not deal with her pressures the same way as you do.”

Seeing her eyes soften as she looked up at him made Link sit back down on the bed again. He cocked his head slightly and inclined his head for her to continue.

“She feels so much and yet bears so many unanswered questions. While your path may stretch toward an unseen destination, the Princess does not yet even have a path she can follow,” Mipha explained, as if imploring him to understand her words and Link was reminded that both Princess Zelda and Mipha used to be good friends when they were younger. “The Princess will feel lost and I imagine your presence will only remind her of that fact. She will be frustrated and sad but with no emotional outlet available to her and no means by which to offer distraction she may end up redirecting her stress towards you. But please, Link, do not take it to heart. Though she hides it well, she must be experiencing the same fear that comes with being a figurehead of destiny that you do.”

Link did drop his eyes down to their laps at that but he squeezed one of her hands in understanding and she gave him a rueful smile. There was another knock on the door.

“Princess?”

“We’re ready!” Mipha called, but before she could stand Link brought one of her hands to his mouth to kiss the backs of her knuckles and she felt his lips move against her thin scales.

_Thank you._

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

Getting to the Spring of Courage took about two days on horseback and the majority of the route followed well maintained roads with outposts and a couple of stables dotted along it. It wasn’t until they’d reach Faron Woods that they’d need to take a path that was less supervised and Link would need to be on full alert. Not that he wasn’t constantly hyperaware of his surroundings at all times.

The Princess had decided to take the lead as soon as they left Castle Town and Link was happy to follow after her, able to keep an eye on the road ahead and the area around her. Well, _happy_ may have been an exaggeration, but he was content with his position. Making sure that his sturdy, brown mare kept pace behind the royal, white stallion he was able to keep out of her direct line of sight and still do his job. He could work with this. 

Occasionally, the royal steed would grumble and start to veer away from the straight and narrow but a quick tug of his reigns from the Princess’ white-knuckle grip had him back on track.

Link began to wonder whether the Princess did not like horse-riding and only did so because it was a more efficient way to travel. Given that he had already worked out that the Princess was not very fond of him he decided to keep that thought to himself. Just like all the others. She did not speak to him, probably lost in her own thoughts and he had no desire to disturb her out of them as they were probably far more important than anything he could contribute to a conversation. Besides, the very idea of trying to engage his vocal chords made his jaw clench.

Recalling Mipha’s parting words, he took his eyes off of the Princess’ back to scout out the surrounding area; insects chirped, birds hunkered down in the long grass to avoid detection as they passed by, a fox poked it’s head up to watch them in the distance…

Nothing to report.

The day came to an uneventful close, with nary a word between them, and they secured lodgings at the Outpost stationed just below the Great Plateau. The regiment placed there were only too happy to host them, no doubt bored out of their minds, and the Princess’ rooms were prepared accordingly. Yet, despite his charge’s assurances that no harm could possibly befall her here with the regiment’s Captain - Akela - standing right beside her, Link had felt the need to inspect her room thoroughly before she could enter.  
Princess Zelda let her displeasure be known verbally.

“Oh for heavens sakes,” Zelda muttered under her breath as her knight finally exited her room with a nod of approval. “This is a military installation, what exactly was he expecting?”

“Oh, I don’t know, Princess,” the Captain said with a twinkle in her eye as she watched the Hylian Champion take up position by her door, “one of the soldiers might have thought it funny to put a fake snake in there. Just to keep your knight on his toes.”

Zelda looked up at the Captain sharply, “they wouldn’t.”

“Not if they know what’s good for them, but I don’t take offence to your knight getting used to routine.”

 _Routine?_ Zelda thought, putting her things down in her room now that she was finally allowed inside, _hopefully this partnership won’t last long enough to form a routine._

The following morning saw the Princess setting the horses into a brisk pace across the bridge of Lake Hylia, determined to reach the Spring before sundown. The sooner she could begin her prayers, the sooner she could rid herself of her overbearing knight.

The road through the Faron Woods wound between uneven terrain and rocky outcrops, while scattered rays of sunlight broke through the tree canopy above them casting a dim golden light over their surroundings. It was a very scenic place but it held a multitude of hiding places and Link found his gaze switching from one shadowy space to another in rapid succession.

Since leaving the Castle, Zelda had managed to avoid directly interacting with her appointed knight. During their stay at the Outpost, many of the soldiers had offered to keep her company in the evening by showing her around and explaining how the place was run. She had known all of these things already of course, but she had been glad for the excuse to not be in close proximity to her own knight. He had spent the evening doing heaven only knows what knights did in their downtime far away from her. 

Now she found herself curious, peering over her shoulder at him every now and then to see what he was doing.

Her father calling this excursion a ‘test run’ was not wholly inaccurate and she was hoping to catch him being anything less than perfect so she had grounds to complain about him. However, her quick inspections told her that Link was taking this little trip as seriously as if he were escorting her through enemy territory. Electric blue eyes skimmed over the tree line as he tried to spot any signs of danger before he swivelled his head to look at the opposite side of the road too, ears twitching. All was quiet and she highly doubted that anything dangerous would pop up so close to such a well travelled road but he was doing his job and that’s all there was to it.

Further ahead, Zelda spotted carved columns that marked the start of the Zonai ruins; an ancient culture that had collapsed long ago. Once they had crossed the Floria River, she pulled back on her horse’s reins to get him to stop and then pulled a little harder when he continued to trudge forwards in defiance. Seeing Link’s horse obey his wordless command immediately made her want to roll her eyes, but she resisted. Instead, she pointed to the space between the stone structures that marked an entrance way into a faded path beyond. 

“We need to go down here to reach the Spring. It’s not a direct route by any means and nobody else is allowed to travel to the Spring without express permission so we will be undisturbed from here on out,” Zelda declared, tapping her heels against her horses flank to get him moving again.

She heard Link’s horse fall into step behind her but she did not turn around, taking a greater interest in the Zonai structures around her. With little else to take her mind off of what was awaiting her at the end of their travels, Zelda began to talk out loud regardless of whether her knight was paying attention to her or not.

“Very little research has been conducted on these ruins due to their proximity and significance with the Spring of Courage. You’ll notice that most of the motifs carved into the stone here bear a draconic resemblance. It seems as though the aspect of Courage was associated with dragons, while the aspect of Wisdom is denoted by an owl. Given that the Zonai were primarily a warrior race it makes sense that they’re architecture is focused around the Spring of Courage, though no-one is sure what happened to them.”

Even as she continued to relay details about the lost culture, she couldn’t help but internally berate herself. _He’s not going to care about any of this, nobody else does. He’s just here to babysit you. Bearer of Courage he might be, this place holds no significance to him and serves no purpose other than helping you to unlock your powers._

Given their location, perhaps his presence _would be_ beneficial to her for once.

As they continued on the path, the ground began to rise up on either side of them forming a pass through which they travelled, hemmed in by rock. The enclosed space made Link uneasy and he directed his sights up to the edges of the rock walls on either side of them. It was a perfect spot for an ambush but he hoped that what the Princess had told him was true and this area was devoid of any people besides themselves. While he tried to listen out for any disturbances above them he couldn’t help but tune in to what the Princess was talking about. 

He was used to hearing her speak even when there was only himself to hear her, and he knew that she wasn’t speaking directly to him per se rather than simply voicing her thoughts aloud. But he couldn’t deny that he had actually learned a lot by listening to her spontaneous monologues, even about the most specific of subjects. So, he found his concentration wandering a little bit as he took in what she was saying. 

“You have to wonder if perhaps the Zonai didn’t have some sort of inside knowledge to the legends considering that their symbol for Power is a boar and the Calamity once took on the form of a great boar and that an owl was once-“ 

The sudden cut off in speech had Link whipping his head back towards her again, chastising himself for getting distracted but it was just because their path had come to an end. They were now facing the Dracozu River, which ran through a gorge worn through rock over hundreds of years by the constant flow of water and lined with yet more dragon heads. Moss and lichens grew all over the exposed rock, thriving in the humid conditions of the Faron jungle.

“The Spring is just at the end of this river. As long as we’re careful we should be able to get our horses to walk along the edge,” the Princess said, looking rather pointedly down at her own mount.

Link decided he would follow with a little bit more space than usual between them so that the stallion didn’t feel pressured with another horse so close behind it.

In the end, following the river turned out to be no trouble at all and it eventually opened up into Dracozu Lake. There in the centre, beyond a small wooden bridge, sat a large dragon sculpture that had been built over the Spring of Courage. The maw of the dragon’s head was open wide, granting access to any who wished to visit the Spring, while it’s front feet gripped the ground on either side of it’s head. It was an impressive sight and the natural wilderness of this protected space was a pleasant reprieve from the incessant control of plant growth surrounding well-travelled roads and towns. 

Crossing over the wooden board walk to reach the other side of the lake, the remnants of the Zonai culture were evident all around them. While the Princess admired the detail and symbolism hewn into the columns that still stood tall and proud, Link couldn’t help but feel that the tiered walls encircling them made the whole place feel like an arena. Remembering what his charge had said about the Zonai valuing warriors and strength, perhaps the idea was not so far fetched. He briefly considered sharing this thought but decided that it probably would not help the Princess’ already sub-zero opinion of him. Maybe when they were on friendlier terms with each other, if that moment ever came to pass.

Zelda guided them over to a cluster of palm trees next to the giant dragon’s head where they could leave their horses. Looking off to one side, she couldn’t help but notice that Link even managed to make dismounting off of a horse look graceful. She refrained from tutting as she climbed down from her own mount and walked up the stone stairs that led into the dragon’s mouth and the large chamber inside, leaving Link to settle and feed the horses. 

The spring itself sat at the end of a long walkway running up the centre of the chamber, lined with crumbling columns on each side. At the back of the spring was a Goddess statue, hands clasped together in a pose of motherly affection as she gazed down at the waters below. She stood upon a plinth with her stone robes gathering at her feet just above the surface of the water, which supported a couple of water lilies and some stray leaves that had blown in from outside. Creeping vines were beginning to wind their way around the edges of the pool and the cracks and crevices of the dilapidated walls were showing the first signs of moss. 

The Spring had an ethereal beauty about it, as if it were located in a place disconnected from the rest of reality. It gave Zelda a smidge of hope.

“The clerics would be appalled if they could see the Spring looking so unkempt … but I quite like it. Farore brought forth life into our world, who are we to restrict it?” 

As Link ascended the steps into the temple, he just managed to make out her words and while it was evident that she had been speaking to herself Link couldn’t help but agree. He enjoyed immersing himself in the wilds and the more rural areas of Hyrule far more than the busy towns. As the Hero, Farore was his patron Goddess so this innate inclination towards nature was perhaps expected and yet he had never been a particularly devout person. 

A ripple of guilt followed this thought but Link pushed it aside, noticing that the Princess was indicating a patch of floor for him to set up camp while she got ready for her prayers. She moved deeper into the temple, with a stern command for him to keep his eyes averted as she clutched her white prayer gown to her chest. 

They had been on the road for the majority of the day, only stopping for a quick lunch of pre-pared sandwiches, so the Princess was probably hungry and Link knew he was. He dropped the saddlebags he had taken off of the horses onto the ground and started rifling through them to find cooking utensils and some packaged food. The ingredients were simple to survive days of travel but Link had had many years of experimenting with cooking and was confident he could make something at least halfway decent with what he’d been given by the kitchen staff.

By the time Zelda had returned with her travelling gear folded neatly in her arms, a fire was sputtering to life and their bedrolls had been laid out on either side of it. Link was searing some food on a metal plate above the fire and the smell was extremely enticing after a day of straight travel. Zelda placed her clothes down by her bags and then turned to Link, looking at him directly for the first time that day. It hadn’t occurred to her that her knight would be required to provide food for her but then who else would have? 

She wasn’t completely helpless when it came to feeding herself, and she knew what plants in the local area were safe to eat, but actually preparing food was something she did not get to try very often. If the smell was anything to go by, her knight was actually a decent cook. _But of course he is._

Just as she was about to declare that she was going to pray now and eat later, her knight took the food off of the fire and placed the mix of cooked vegetables and rice into two bowls, holding one out to her. Her stomach rumbled and while the more prideful part of her wanted to reject it, in the end she would only be hurting herself with such actions. She took the offered bowl with a small ‘thank you’ and knelt down to eat.

It really was good, warming her to the core which would be useful when she later walked into the waters of the Spring.

“Does this have warm safflina in it?” Zelda asked, before her mind could catch up with her mouth.

Link looked surprised, either because she was talking directly to him or because she had noticed but he nodded either way.

“Who gave it to you?”

Link swallowed a mouthful of food before responding.

“Telma, Head of the Kitchens,” Link explained, eyebrows furrowing a little as if he were trying to guess what she was after with her questioning. Zelda herself was a little surprised that he had actually deigned to give her a verbal response.

“You’re on first name basis with the Head Chef? Why does that not surprise me…”

Even though the last part of the Princess’ comment had been muttered into her spoon, Link heard it anyway and he gathered that his input was unwanted from that point onwards.

With their meals finished, the utensils and bowls cleaned and put to one side, they both stood up from the campfire. Link waited to receive his orders, while the Princess smoothed out her prayer gown, even though he had already been briefed on what to do once they reached the Spring of Courage from both the King and his General. 

General Tapidor was a patient man but he had seemed determined to stress upon Link just how much was riding on the outcome of this excursion. His first escort mission outside of the Castle. Not only would his actions determine whether he was suitable to guard the Princess, in the King’s eyes, but his conduct would also reflect upon the General himself, who had been the one charged with overseeing the young Hero’s training. Link hoped he could do the man proud, as without him Link would have found himself thoroughly overwhelmed in the years after coming forward with the Master Sword. 

Still, he wished the General could have braced him for the Princess’ immediate dislike of his person and Link readied himself now as the Princess opened her mouth to speak.

“I am now going to pray. I will likely be in the Spring for a few hours and under no circumstances are you to disturb me. You will stand guard at the Temple entrance and I will call for you once I am done.”

Having said her piece, Zelda turned on her heel and strode towards the Spring, not bothering to look back to see whether her knight had obeyed. Her steps were a lot more confident than she actually felt but she would be damned if she showed any sign of weakness or hesitance in front of the _chosen one_. 

Sure enough, she heard the clinking of her knight’s gear and the sound of a sword being unsheathed as he settled in to stand watch at the top of the stairs. There he would remain until she was done. Zelda spared a second to consider how boring it would probably be but then again her knight so far had given no sign that he actually thought of anything.

Stepping down into the tepid waters of the spring, she cast aside all other concerns and tilted her face up to look into the empty eyes of the Goddess statue. With a deep inhale, Zelda knitted her hands together and began to pray.

_Goddess Farore, I come before you today in the company of your Champion; the Hero. Please, tell me how I can unlock my sealing gift so that I may protect this land and all those who live within it. Please, show me what it is that I am missing so I can save that which you created._

The statue remained impassive, it’s benign smile unchanging in the face of her pleas. So, she tried again.

_Please, I have been devoted to the higher powers for the majority of my life and I have still yet much to learn but I need your guidance now. My mother and her mother before her all had this power, but they are not here to guide me now. I need a sign, anything!_

Again, there was only silence. Not even the ambient sounds of the Faron jungle could reach her here. Still Zelda tried, repeating herself endlessly as she begged for the Goddess’ help while the sky dimmed and clouds gathered overhead. The first fork of lightning that illuminated the spring and the following boom of thunder did nothing to deter her, singularly focused on her goal as she was.

But after so much time, even Zelda’s focus began to waver.

_You’re not even there are you? I’m not sure which would be worse. Having spent all this time praying to you only for you not to hear me, or knowing I wasn’t even worth a response._

Zelda’s face crumpled and she ripped her hands apart, as if the action would break a spiritual connection to the heavens that her prayers travelled through. Instead, her hands clenched in rage.

 _So, I am to be made a mockery of in front of your Champion instead? To remind me that I will never compare to him. Why do you favour him? Have I not proved my worth to you yet, why is he so special? Why?!_ Taking in a shuddering lungful of air, Zelda tried in vain to control the vicious thoughts clouding her mind but there was no redirecting her resentment. _Of course you would favour him, he is a warrior and the perfect model of a Hero, what do I have to offer in comparison? He is the embodiment of courage, and I am nothing but a foolish girl._

Zelda felt all of her energy drain from her as her last thought consumed her and she sagged a little where she stood. She was unwilling to leave the waters just yet and instead she let her mind wander to a world less fraught than this one. Five minutes, she just needed five minutes to regain the strength she needed to face her knight and admit that she had failed. Again.

Meanwhile, Link had been entertaining thoughts of a very different nature. 

During his watch he had neither seen nor heard any sign of approaching travellers or the tell-tale noises of encroaching monsters. Standing guard with the Master Sword held point down against the floor, he had been occupying his time with trying to identify the local fauna and watching the flight patterns of passing insects. The humid mists of the jungle were making him regret not using his packed change of clothes, but they gradually dissipated as the sun started to set and the temperature dropped. 

Distant thunder made Link turn his head up to the sky and he watched silently as a bank of dense cloud swept towards the spring, obscuring his view of the vibrant sunset. He took this moment to glance behind him quickly to see that Zelda was still deep in prayer, before he re-sheathed his sword and moved outside to get the horses under cover. The horses could weather rain no problem, but he didn’t like leaving them outside against the elements if it could be avoided and the Faron region was well known for it’s tropical and turbulent storms. It wouldn’t be surprising if there was lightning on the horizon.

Link bribed the horses up into the Temple and left them a couple of carrots to encourage them to stay put before he returned to his post. Not long after, the sky was fully covered and it began to pour with rain. The distant trees almost completely disappeared under the deluge, becoming nothing more than vague silhouettes against the ever darkening cloud cover. All the while, Link kept watch as the rain became heavier and soon the only sound he could hear was the rush of falling water. While the sound of water cascading down onto the ground greatly reduced his ability to hear, he also doubted that any wayward visitors would want to stay out in these conditions.

A croak to his left had him turning his head languidly to observe a frog casually sitting out in the open, enjoying the sheets of rain that pelted it’s back. Soon, yet more frogs joined in the chorus, their many eyes blinking out into the storm from they’re places along the banks of Dracozu lake. 

_If I’m not careful, I might fall asleep standing here_ , Link thought to himself, feeling his heartbeat slow under the calming effects of rain. A flash of light and the answering clap of thunder made his breathing hitch for just a moment before he settled once more, a small smile appearing on his face. _Thank you, Farore._

The rains were now causing tiny streams that run down the insides of the temple, dripping off of the stone dragon’s prominent fangs. Some morbid part of Link’s brain thought it made it look like the dragon was drooling.

_Gross._

Shifting his stance a little to force blood back into his feet he suddenly noticed that over the sound of the rain, the frogs had stopped chirping. In fact, all of the sounds of the jungle that he had previously blocked out as background noise had stopped. His eyes swept over to look at the horses; they were stock still with their heads raised high and their ears flicked up. But they did not move.

Instantly on guard, Link gripped the hilt of the Master Sword tighter. He peered out into the storm, trying to locate the approaching danger that had made all the wildlife go silent. If there was something out there in the rain it was doing a remarkable job of being quiet, but then again any self respecting assassin or predator would be. After a couple of minutes searching, Link angled his view upwards, trying to discern if the threat was in the sky.

While he couldn’t see anything obvious he did feel the hairs on the back of his neck begin to rise and his clothes started to stick to his skin. Reaching a hand up, he pulled his tunic away from his body only to feel the fabric slide across him as it clung to his frame with static.

 _Static?_ Link wondered, looking about him to check that he wasn’t standing in a puddle of water, but the floor was still dry inside the Temple. _But then where-_

Out of the corner of his eye, Link saw movement above him and all of his thoughts came to a halt. 

A set of claws had curled around the edge of the temple’s roof. A set of giant, razor sharp claws that glowed with bioluminescence. Facing the storm head on, Link brought the Master Sword up, unsure of what he was about to face but willing to defend the Princess against it at all costs. At first, it was just the claws, wedged behind one of the two stone fangs that hung down from the mouth of the temple. Then an enormous head descended into view; a long scaled face, a large protruding horn, and a pair of soul piercing, violet eyes. 

All the air in Link’s lungs seemed to vanish and his jaw dropped open a fraction as the grip on his sword loosened.

Farosh, the Dragon of Thunder, the golden spirit attendant to the Spring of Courage was floating just above the entrance. The mighty creature gazed down at Link from where he hovered, his dual-ringed irises appraising him as if he were a curious oddity. Which he probably was, as Farosh must not get many visitors but Link couldn’t even process such thoughts, consumed in utter awe by the sight of this majestic being.

The horn on the great dragon’s head glowed as if it were powered by thousands of fireflies and crackled with latent energy from the storm. Farosh huffed out through his nostrils and Link felt a breeze brimming with power pass over him. He managed to briefly consider calling out to the Princess; was she seeing this? But any attempts at motion were aborted before they even began. Here in this moment, Link was beginning to feel the first tendrils of fear seize a hold of him and he wasn’t sure how to overcome it.

Farosh was huge.

The Dragon of Thunder continued to stare at him and Link knew without a doubt that this mighty creature could see straight through him. He could only hope that Farosh liked what he saw.

Another flash of lightning rent the sky apart just as a crash of thunder reverberated through the ground of the spring. The vibrations startled Link’s body out of it’s stupor and he tightened his hold on the Master Sword, steeling himself for whatever challenge the Envoy of Farore had for him. 

With the change in Link’s demeanour, Farosh moved his head to the side slowly, fixing Link with one of it’s eyes intently, before he turned away to fly back up into the sky. The raptor-like claws retracted from the temple roof and the static atmosphere fell away, yet Link remained standing there with his sword at the ready as the rest of Farosh’s long body swept out of view. 

It took several seconds of Link looking out into the rain, prepared for something to happen, and seeing nothing but the dark outlines of the nearby palm trees for him to relax his stance. The rain continued to fall but the sounds of the jungle had yet to return and the horses remained subdued.

For just a moment, Link allowed himself to breathe. The tip of the Master Sword’s blade rested against the mossy floor again and the Hylian Champion tried not to sag with relief. Relief that was short lived. As Link lifted his head up he came face to face with Farosh once more.

The Dragon’s body was glowing brightly and arcs of electricity danced across his scales like ribbons caught in a high wind. A bolt of lighting screamed down from the heavens and Link’s world became obliterated by white light as his lungs seized and his heart stopped. 

Then he felt and saw nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what do you guys think? This will have an update every two weeks to allow me buffer time while I'm in the middle of my MSc~
> 
> Art for the scene between Link and Farosh is [[here]](https://sarcastic-sketches.tumblr.com/post/184350519665/the-dragon-of-thunder-continued-to-stare-at-him)


	2. Dragon Knight

Zelda was still preparing herself to leave the spring when a particularly loud, and very close, clap of thunder startled her out of her thoughts. A bright light flashed across her eyes and she snapped them open, stumbling backwards in the water a little before regaining her balance and sending small waves of water to lap at the sides of the pool. The sound of neighing horses made her swivel around and she was overcome by vertigo for a second. Breathing harshly, she willed her heart to slow down before glancing back up to see the stone face of the Goddess statue. As still and as lifeless as ever.

 _I guess Courage is not the one for me,_ she thought to herself and with a disappointed sigh, she turned back to look towards camp.

The fire was still crackling over the sound of the pouring rain, spreading it’s warmth as the kindling splintered and cracked with the heat. She absently wondered when it had started to rain and watched the light cast by the campfire flicker and dance over the inside of the stone dragon’s mouth; a stark contrast to the stormy skies outside. 

She shivered, the night chill beginning to catch up to her. Surveying the campsite to locate her clothes, she realised that there was something wrong about the scene before her. Both her and Link’s horses had been brought inside at some point, their hooves grating across stone as they pawed at the ground, clearly distressed by the storm. But it was more than just the appearance of their horses that bothered Zelda. Another flash of lightning illuminated the space at the temple entrance and she realised what was missing.

Her knight was gone. 

Blinking into the firelight, Zelda tried to see any evidence of where her knight had moved to. Perhaps he was patrolling around the perimeter of the temple? But surely he could hear the horse’s cries.

She climbed back out of the spring and wrapped her arms around her body, her wet dress now clinging to her legs as she padded across the stone floor. As she neared the entrance she saw no sign of Link and the sheets of rain outside would make a patrol almost completely pointless. She reached the fire, enjoying the warmth it spread over her cooled skin, and spotted a pile of clothing on the floor. Link’s clothing.

_What in the- Did he go for a swim?!_

Open mouthed she shuffled over to the pile of clothes, feeling indignant that her knight would leave his post, during a storm of all things, but the way the clothes lay there struck her as odd. It was as if he had shed all of his layers at once and then stepped clear of them. Which was impossible – even his belts were still fastened.

Unease filled her stomach and she bent down to pick up the items of clothing, noticing that his boots were underneath them. There was also no sign of the Master Sword in the nearby vicinity. She considered calling out into the storm, however futile that would be, but as she gathered up his clothes she felt a definite weight within the blue, Champion’s tunic. Setting the fabric down again, she gently shook out the shirt and inhaled sharply as a small, golden scaled creature fell out of the neck line.

It rolled out onto the dusty floor, coming to a stop on it’s side and affording Zelda a perfect view of it’s profile. It was barely the size of her hand, slightly curled up from it’s tumble out of the tunic and unconscious. At first, Zelda thought it was a lizard that had made it’s way into the pile of clothes to escape the storm but certain physical characteristics caught her attention. 

It’s serpentine body, scales and clawed feet reminded her of a reptile, but the leg joints and floppy velveteen ears suggested this creature was of mammalian descent. The feathers along the end of it’s tail and running down the back of it’s neck were additionally baffling. Not to mention _the horn_ jutting out the front of it’s head.

At first, the sight of it had caused Zelda to rear back in surprise, clutching the Champions tunic to her chest, but now that she could see the creature was asleep her curiosity kicked in. 

Leaning forward to inspect closer she took note of the way the horn seemed to zigzag like a lightning bolt and glowed dimly. Overall, the creature’s skull profile was triangular and the wavy horn sat on the flat bridge running down the centre of it’s head, between it’s closed eyes. On either side of it’s head were five leaf-like protuberances that formed a frill that looked to be made of bone rather than membrane. 

Zelda raised a hand to touch but before doing so she quickly checked that this animal was indeed still asleep. It’s eyes were tightly shut, covered in a patch of bright blue scales that matched the ones found over the creatures sides, thighs and shoulders before they became a deep purple along it’s back. Here and there, she could see lines and small patches were the scales looked slightly bent, or were missing in strips entirely, like scars.

Confident that she could gently touch without disturbing it’s slumber, she extended a finger and carefully ran it down the length of the creatures body, marvelling over the texture of the fine-knit scales before she came across a patch of skin that was soft and pliable. It stretched with her movement and she delicately pried it away slowly to reveal a length of membrane that extended away from the creatures main body, supported by bone. A wing. 

Sucking in a breath through her teeth, Zelda’s eyes flickered between the outstretched wing between the tips of her fingers, the tiny claws at the end of each of it’s feet, and the horn on it’s head. _A dragon,_ she realised, eye widening as she took in more of it’s appearance, knowing it to be true. _It has to be. But what is it doing here?_

She pushed the wing back into place, folded tightly along it’s rib cage, and turned her attention to the golden spikes running along the _dragon’s_ spine. There was a particularly large, diamond shaped one situated between it’s shoulder blades and touching it revealed that it was as hard as... well, diamond. 

Sitting back on her ankles, Zelda was left completely stunned by the creature’s presence. Numerous questions began piling up in her mind, all clamouring together for attention.

 _What is it doing in Link’s clothes? Does Link have a dragon and somehow no-one noticed? Nobody has seen a living, breathing dragon in years._ Zelda turned her head to look back at the Goddess Statue as one question rose up above them all. _Is … is this your answer? Is this my sign? A guide?_

After all, it was rumoured that each of the springs had a dragon spirit watching over them, but it was said to be much bigger than the one she was currently inspecting. Looking back at the tiny creature she couldn’t help but wonder what exactly she was supposed to gleam from it, or how in the name of Hylia it was meant to help her. There was also the matter of her missing knight.

With a jolt, Zelda whipped her head around to look back out into the rain. It hadn’t stopped pouring during her investigations but she was now aware that the lightning and thunder had stopped. On the one hand she wanted to call out for Link, to see if he really was just foolish enough to go swimming in a thunder storm, or if he was actually missing. Plus, there was the issue of his clothes being left behind in such an unnatural manner… and the dragon being found in them.

“No,” Zelda said under her breath, as if it would make her sudden wild suspicion any less valid.

She didn’t know nearly enough about Link to find anything physically that would confirm her theory, but she could think of another way to prove it. Trying not to jostle the tiny dragon too much, she scooped it up into one hand and brought it to her face, catching the faintest scent of lavender from it. How strange. It continued to sleep but seemed to react favourably to the heat of her palm, settling down against her skin.

Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Zelda braced herself to not to feel too foolish for what she was about to do.

“Link?” She asked, quietly, almost afraid that it would wake up because of her calls. She spoke a little louder, “Link?”

The dragon’s eyes cracked open a little as it heard her, revealing unfocused electric blue irises beneath it’s eyelids. It blinked and focused on her intently for a few seconds before, energy now spent, it’s eyes closed again and the dragon went back to sleep. However, the brief interaction had been enough.

She recognised the blue of this creature’s eyes, the intensity of it’s stare even if it had only been for a moment. How could she not recognise it when she had grown to despise it, how that focus was usually directed at her back. Now it was her turn to stare down at him; her knight, quite literally in the palm of her hand.

 _Oh Goddesses …_

This was Farore’s answer? To turn the Hylian Champion into a dragon, but then where was the sword?

All thoughts came to a halt as Zelda reached a point where she simply could not process the situation anymore. It was just too much and far too extreme to comprehend right now. All of the variables and hypothesis ceased to be anything more than meaningless babble.

“I think I’m going to go to bed,” Zelda said to her hand, nodding to herself as she gathered up Link’s clothes in a daze and place them in a jumbled pile by the fire.

She placed him carefully into the pile of clothes and felt hysteria start to well up inside her as she wondered whether this would finally force a reaction from her ever reserved Champion.

 _That is, if my theory is correct,_ Zelda considered as she went to strip out of her clothes and into her nightwear.

She covered the dragon’s face with the hem of his tunic while she changed. Just in case.

Settling into her bed roll, she still refused to let the onslaught of thoughts take over, for once banishing it all to the furthest recesses of her psyche. It was a problem for tomorrow, for when she was rested and Link would be awake. They could work this out together; she almost laughed at the thought. However, even as she wound down for sleep, she couldn’t help a tiny part of herself for hoping that Link was just roaming about outside somewhere. That would be a lot easier to deal with than her knight having changed species through an act of the Goddesses.

He would also most certainly be in possession of the Master Sword.

\-------▲▲▲-------

Link was, by nature, not a morning a person, however, after years of learned necessity he would begin to rouse near daybreak. About half an hour or so was spent gradually gearing himself up for the day ahead before he would finally turf himself out of bed and begin his morning rituals.

Since joining the military, that routine consisted of warm-up stretches and exercises in the empty courtyard before undergoing a light jog around the castle grounds. He was familiar with most members of the night guard for this very reason, as he witnessed them swapping out with their morning shift counterparts. By the time his jog was over he had wound up back at the barracks just as the rest of the soldiers were getting up.

He had worked out that getting up early meant that he was free to go about his warm-ups at his own pace and it prevented him from having to be present for the inane ‘manly chats’ that occurred in the men’s barracks while people got ready. Please, anything but that. He often wondered if a similar thing occurred in the women’s barracks, not that he had ever really cared enough to ask.

Such learned behaviour meant that Link automatically began to stir with the rising of the sun but on this particular morning he felt more lethargic than normal. Perhaps the stress he had been feeling was actually making him physically ill. He hoped not as the last thing he needed was for the Princess to think him any less capable than she seemed to already.

With a start he remembered where he was and that he was supposed to be guarding the Princess. He couldn’t even remember when he had fallen asleep and could only pray to whoever was listening that he had at least performed his duties adequately before settling in for the night.

Stretching out with a yawn, Link opened his eyes and watched his hands splay out in front of him like a cat. His clawed, scaled hands. He blinked.

 _Those are my hands. What-_ Link choked as the claws in front of him responded to his commands, the digits bending and relaxing as he moved them. _This can’t be real. Those can’t be my hands._

The lack of dream-like apathy indicated that he was, in fact, not still asleep and the last traces of fatigue left his system. Genuine fear flooded him as his heart beat pounded in his ears and his gut roiled with panic, his veins now surging with adrenaline. He forced himself upright but his balance was drastically off and he tipped over backwards, falling out of his very high bed to hit the floor below.

Lying on his back, Link breathed heavily, trying to control his breaths as light spots danced before his eyes. Beyond the spots he could make out the stone ceiling of the temple over the Spring of Courage. The roof of the dragon’s mouth. Dragon.

_Farosh!_

The memories of the previous evening came back to him; the appearance of the spring’s guardian, the storm, the bolt of lightning. 

Link brought his hands – feet – back up into his line of sight and could not deny they’re rather reptilian like appearance, each bearing sharp talons coloured like platinum metal. Talons on the ends of scaled feet like those on Farosh. He suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to cry.

_What do I do? Help._

As the sun continued to rise, Link allowed this fear to consume him. Rolling onto his side he curled up in panic as he let it take over, just for a moment. He had to get it out of the way now before he could attempt to take stock of the situation. Once he had allowed himself a brief lapse in control, he could attempt to sort things through.

Gradually, his body started to calm down and Link regained his breath. Pushing himself up, he started to look at himself in a critical light, cataloguing all of the changes. 

He needed to stand on all four of his limbs now rather than just his back two, but that was due to his body being so much longer proportionally than it had been before. There was also a tail to contend with which was a bizarre thing to experience; an extra weight where there hadn’t been previously that almost had a mind of its own. The toes of his feet could all be moved one after another and he could still open and close his jaw. He ran his tongue over his new set of sharp teeth. Unfortunately, he couldn’t see any puddles of water nearby for him to take a good look at himself. 

With the physical assessment over, Link began to explore motility. Gingerly, he extended a foot forward to try walking. One step turned into another and after a few minutes of repeated attempts he was walking in a straight line, his back legs now mirroring his front automatically. His steps became quicker and a rhythm built up, to a point where it almost felt natural. Link had expected there to be a greater issue after changing from a biped to a quadruped but this movement almost felt familiar. 

_That’s a disturbing thought._

After pacing a couple of times next to the bed he had slept on – which he now recognised was a pile of his own clothes – he sat down to methodically test all of his joints. It was pleasing to note that he still retained the same amount of dexterity as he had when he was Hylian. He felt a surge of hope pass through him as he started to think that perhaps this transformation wouldn’t be as horrifying as he’d first believed. He also concluded that his neck must be longer in order to explain his new range of motion. Swivelling his head all the way around to look at his own back, he begrudgingly admired the new field of view. 

However, as he was moving his head from side to side he spotted the Princess still wrapped up in bed. The Princess who was awake.

“Ah,” she said, upon being noticed, and Link felt every muscle in his body contract as his spine arched upwards and something along his sides peeled away to flare outwards.

Zelda blinked as she observed a very recognisable behaviour; a defensive response. 

_It appears his composure has left for the hills,_ Zelda thought wryly, not that she could blame him given the situation. 

With his back hunched up and his wings stretched to their full capacity he was trying to make himself look bigger than he actually was. However, when you were barely an inch off the ground at shoulder height it didn’t really help all that much. She also noted that the feathers on the back of his head were standing on end like an offended Rito and she itched to find her field journal. 

A faint simmering regret built in her stomach as she recalled her thoughts from the previous night about getting a reaction from her knight.

She sighed.

“I take it you are Link, yes?” 

Zelda watched as he deflated slightly, giving her the tiniest of nods.

“I suppose that at least means I don’t have to go out there and find you,” she explained, freeing a hand from her bed covers and waving it in the general direction of Dracozu Lake. 

Link’s only response was to blink at her, his body no longer tense.

“You seem to have made the switch from Hylian to dragon rather well, this isn’t a usual occurrence for you is it?” The idea that her knight was perhaps a dragon in disguise all along was not out of the realm of possibility anymore, all things considered, but he was shaking his head. “No? I’ll scratch that off my list of explanations then.”

It occurred to Link that the Princess was probably just as lost as he was, and her apparent calm was born from being so overwhelmed that nothing else could get through. No-one could be _that_ rational, surely. Padding forward, with only the quiet skittering of his claws against stone to betray his movement, Link approached the Princess’ bedroll before stopping a respectful distance away to sit down.

Zelda’s eyes honed in on him as he neared but she said nothing, just watched as he waited there. Waited for her to give him instructions. Being a knight was apparently his default setting. 

But right now Zelda couldn’t even scoff at that, still completely blind-sided by this turn of events herself. Having her suspicions confirmed only opened up a whole stream of follow up questions, the most prevalent of which bursting from her mouth.

“Where is the Master Sword?”

She could see the surprise evident on his face, his reptilian features not as emotionally limiting as she would have assumed, and he did a quick scan of their camp to confirm that the sword was indeed missing. Zelda watched him head over to the Temple entrance, where he had set up vigil yesterday, and marvelled over how well he had adapted to his new body. It was a little unnerving if she were being honest, but she didn’t admit as much out loud.

When Link came back, he was wearing an expression of such vulnerability that she couldn’t help but take pity on him.

“We’ll look more thoroughly before we leave but if it isn’t here then it must have disappeared alongside your transformation. Hopefully, if we can work out a cause for that we can find the sword again.”

Link nodded, still keeping his attention on her, but Zelda was starting to feel the onset of guilt. She couldn’t help but wonder if her failure here at the Spring of Courage was somehow related to Link’s new form. Her failure, her lack of courage it seemed, was being reflected upon Farore’s Champion.

 _But why punish him? Why not me?_ Zelda wondered, just as the more cynical part of her brain answered. _Because you still have work to do._

Ultimately, Link’s transformation did not directly impact Zelda’s ability to continue working towards unlocking her powers, but if she had been transformed it would have hindered her severely. 

She let out a shaky breath and buried herself back into her bedroll just as Link cocked his head to one side and make a noise that sounded like a chirruping bird. She wasn’t quite sure how he did it, but he made the noise sound like a question and even he looked a little taken aback.

He made it again, probably just to see if he could, but Zelda thought she understood. He wanted answers - as did she - but he seemed to think that she at least had some theories to go on for the time being. To see him defer to her for _guidance_ was rather pleasing. So, she started to lay out all of the events that had transpired the previous day from the moment they entered the temple. 

As the Princess gained momentum she seemed unable to stop, but the continuous stream of words were not without sense and bit by bit they started to piece together how they had ended up here. Everything was covered, except for the appearance of Farosh which she had managed to miss, deeply involved with her prayers. Link wanted to explain his side of events too, as it may provide the Princess with some clues, but he had so much bottled up in his throat that nothing was making it to his mouth. He would have to wait until they’d settled down later to broach the topic again. 

Her never ending rush of words was also comfortingly familiar, as Link had become accustomed to her spontaneous monologues. Still, he was beginning to worry that she hadn't taken a breath in a while. 

“... and after all, as I said before, a dragon is the symbol of Courage in the Zonai culture and that must have come from somewhere. So, given our location I can only assume that your transformation has something to do with you being Farore's Champion though for what purpose I am unsure.” Zelda inhaled at the end of her monologue, breathing hard before she continued, “I may also be feeling the delayed effects of shock.” 

_Understandable_ , Link thought, _I think I might be too. Also, your lung capacity is impressive._

For the first time in their partnership, a mutual agreement was reached; go back to bed and take some time to reflect on the events that were happening. Their return trip to the Castle could wait for a while longer. It was fine.

While Zelda dealt with accumulating stress by writing down all of her problems into bite sized chunks within a list, Link was not usually one for self introspection. If something was making him feel uncomfortable he would decide whether or not he could deal with it at the time. If there was nothing that could be done, it would be set aside in a mental box to be looked at later or forgotten. However, his current situation wasn’t something that could be left for the time being and picked up again in the future. 

He needed to come to terms with it now.

Stretching out one of his front feet, Link watched as he contracted and relaxed the toes, feeling a sudden disconnect from his body. His _new_ body. 

While his Hylian body had been a bit smaller than he would have liked, and his stature made for easy jokes from fellow knights in the training yard, he had grown to like it just the way it was. The comments about his appearance were also easy to dissuade once he demonstrated just how useful being lithe and fast was as he kicked their knees in from underneath them.

Link sighed sadly as he nestled himself deeper into his tunic. It was so soft, like he had been wearing it for years and he suddenly wondered how the Princess had managed to fit it to him so well. He had never been to a fitting for it and she had barely seen him before his official appointment to her. Yet, the day before the Champions Ceremony he had been presented with a brand new, bright blue tunic complete with white embroidery sewn by the Princess’ own hands. Then he remembered that Mipha had taken his measurements at the start of this year. The Princess must have gotten his size from her.

Thinking of Mipha filled him with a sense of calm and he rolled over, wishing that she were here. It was ridiculous to think that she would be able to fix this for him, but her presence was usually enough to make him feel better. Perhaps healers were just like that; constantly giving off a relaxing aura.

 _I could certainly do with some of that right now,_ Link thought, fighting against the urge to curl up into a ball and scream.

Imagining how a meeting with Mipha in his current form would pan out meant that he also had to think about meeting the other Champions. Revali would laugh, no doubt about it, but if Daruk had thought he was tiny before then he was going to have a shock when he saw his new size. The Goron was going to have be to be extra careful with his ‘hugs’ now, one misplaced pat on the back would probably squash him flat. Then there was Urbosa, who Link was unsure about. She clearly had Zelda’s best interest in mind at all times and he wouldn’t be surprised if Zelda’s irritation with him was reflected within Urbosa too. The Gerudo Champion’s attitude certainly became a lot softer when she spoke to the Princess, like a mother to their child.

Link’s gut clenched as he was hit with the realisation that he was going to be seen by his own family. Ideally, he’d rather not let them know because there was no point worrying them about a situation they could not change - besides, it wasn’t like he was hurt or in an immediate danger - but he knew they’d have to know eventually. 

_Mother and father are going to be so upset… I have to try and make it as easy for them as possible. I’ll show them that this doesn’t bother me,_ Link decided. _If I’m calm, they will be too. Aryll will probably think this is great. She’ll have a dragon for an older brother, what’s not to like about that?_

He smiled despite himself and he could feel some of his scales pull at the action but not in a painful way. There were so many new aspects about his body he was going to have to get used to, but he could tell that certain things had fallen back into his subconscious. He was no longer hyper aware of every new minute detail and the excess weight of his tail had already stopped bothering him. Although, it was still occasionally flicking about with his moods, a definite tell. He’d have to learn to control that.

Filling his miniature lungs with as much air as possible, he gathered all of his stress, fears, and uncertainties, before pooling them into his exhale and releasing them from his body.

 _I’ve got this. It’s just a test, I’m just being tested as the Hero. Get up!_

Zelda, who had now scribbled questions and thoughts over two entire pages in her journal, looked up as she caught sight of movement in her periphery. She saw Link pick himself up from his pile of clothes and thought that his stance looked just a little bit more stable than it had before. Her knight had certainly lost that wide eyed, open look he’d been sporting before.

“How does he do that?” She whispered to herself, wishing she could have just half of the strength he seemed to possess to hold herself up. With a much louder volume she addressed Link directly, “are you ready to go? We need to get back to the Outpost by sundown.”

Vivid blue eyes trained on her and she could see that his steely focus was back. He nodded once and she kicked back the covers on her bedroll before remembering that she was only wearing her nightclothes. Quickly bringing her blankets back up like a shield she squinted over at her knight, ready to demand he turn around but found that he had already ducked back into his clothes again. 

_Well, he’s polite at least._

With her day clothes on, the only thing left to do was to tidy away their camp. It took Zelda a lot longer to pack up their belongings than it had taken Link to set it all out. The amount of items around their camp did not seem to fit into the amount of space they had available inside the travel bags; even after she had eaten some of the packed fruit and bread, ravenous now that her panic had settled. She unpacked and reassembled all of their items three times over while Link scouted the area both inside and outside of the temple for the missing Sword of Evil’s Bane. Upon his return, Zelda was still trying to work out how to fit all of their stuff into a limited space.

“This doesn’t make any sense,” she muttered, holding her prayer dress in one hand and a water bottle in the other. “These just won’t fit!”

_Never mind the fact that there is no rhyme or reason to the order that I’ve packed our things. If there’s one thing I can actually appreciate about my knight it’s that he’s organised and tidy. How does he do this?_

Link looked from her frustrated face to the pile of assorted items on the floor, surveying the mess as the Princess continued to struggle, and realised that she was only using the standard travel bags and not his. Skirting around their belongings, he searched the floor for his belts. He found them next to the Princess’ golden bracelets and he grabbed hold of the attached pouch with his mouth. He began tugging it backwards, dragging the belt too as he pulled it along the floor until he was in the Princess’ direct line of sight. Dropping it at her feet, he tilted his head back to catch her eye and then nudged the pouch again with his nose.

“Yes, I’ll get to your stuff too, just let me…”

Link nudged the pouch again more forcefully this time before he wormed his head inside and started to pull out their entire food supply. Once he had emptied the pouch, he sat back so that the Princess could see the full array of items. It was far more than what should have feasibly been able to fit inside it.

“How?” Zelda demanded, seemingly of the universe rather than Link himself. But then she noticed a pair of tiny leaves stitched into the fabric on the bottom corner of the pack.

 _Korok magic?_ Zelda wondered and she decided to add that question the ever growing list she had for her knight.

Now that she knew that all of their food items could be placed into the pouch, it freed up some space she had been mentally allocating for their saddle bags. With all of their odd bits and pieces stashed away, she rocked back onto her heels in wonderment. It simply defied physics. That amount of stuff should not have been able to fit into such a limited space. Then again, magic seemed to be the loophole where the laws of science were concerned.

The itch of a new discovery was starting again and she shrugged it off, dejected. She didn’t have the time.

Looking back over to her knight, who was trying to catch her attention again, she noticed him turning his snout pointedly to a single saddlebag placed on the ground by their bedrolls. Zelda suspected that she would find another twin leaf insignia on one of those bags too. She was correct.

After repacking all of the cooking equipment and bedrolls back into his magically enhanced bag, she hefted them up onto the horses. 

_Ah! Magic loopholes even manage to entirely ignore the laws of accumulated mass apparently,_ Zelda thought, huffing as she nearly tripped with the excess energy she’d gathered to lift the korok travel bag.

It was surprising just how much time it took to have everything ready to leave and by now it was already past midday. With their camp now cleared away, and everything accounted for, it was evident that the Master Sword was still the only thing missing, and it was evidently not here. When Zelda asked her knight about his inspection outside he shook his head. 

Unbeknownst to her, during the brief moment Link had left the temple to fetch the horses before the storm hit, the sword had been safely tucked in it’s sheath upon his back. It had then been in his hands as he took up watch again and he had still been holding it when Farosh appeared.

“If it’s not here then there isn’t anything that we can do,” the Princess sighed, defeat making her shoulders sag. “At least we know that only you can hold it, so it’s unlikely that it was stolen. But we can’t waste anymore time here. Let’s go.”

 _Someone could have grabbed it with the scabbard,_ Link thought to himself, envisioning the Master Sword in the hands of their enemy; whisked away by the Yiga. But he doubted even a Yiga would have stuck it out in such a storm and if so, for what purpose? Simply to take it away from them?

Besides, there was also the appearance of Farosh to consider. The Yiga were not that daring.

When Zelda turned to address Link again she found him jumping up onto piles of rocks to gain some height so he could reach the horses. She almost hadn’t seen him he was so small, only his bright colouring helping him stand out against the muted colours of the spring’s interior.

Swinging herself up into the saddle, she reached over for the reins of Link’s horse and waited for him to move. 

The first signs of impatience must have been beginning to show on her face as Link hurried to scramble up and jump onto the back of his horse. It was a bit tricky, but thankfully he didn’t weigh much and his claws gripped the leather saddle rather than his horse’s hide so the mare wasn’t startled by his presence. Otherwise, he would probably have found himself being flung into the air with considerable force.

As Zelda watched him leap his way up onto his mount – she’d considered helping him for all of five seconds – she realised that they were going to have a much more immediate problem. Link’s diminutive form settled into the saddle and turned to her for further instructions and if Zelda hadn’t been so stressed the image before her would have been hilarious.

“We’re going to need a very good excuse to explain your absence.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen … I know the concept for this AU is utterly batshit (and very self indulgent because dragons are my jam) but I’ve tried my best to make it work within the games own canon and the lore surrounding the series so I hope you still enjoy regardless.
> 
> Chapter art found [[here]](https://sarcastic-sketches.tumblr.com/post/185478389310/dragonlinks-first-appearance-in-chapter-2-of-the)
> 
> Reviews always appreciated!


	3. Cover Stories

During the ride back to the Outpost, Zelda suggested all sorts of alibis left, right and centre. Anything that sounded even the least bit credible. Her first suggestion was that perhaps Link had been summoned to the Castle, immediately from the Spring of Courage. However, Zelda discarded the idea within her next breath before Link could veto it himself. Even if Link had been summoned, she would have been provided with another guard in his place. So any excuse that involved Link actively leaving her side would not work.

Another prominent idea had been to tell the regiment at the Outpost that Link was sick and keeping his distance to prevent contagion spreading. But ultimately, she knew that the guards at the Outpost would want to find him and make sure that he was looked after if that were the case.

It was approaching sunset and Zelda could see the compound on the other side of the bridge of Lake Hylia and yet she still had not thought of a viable reason to explain why Link would not be with her. In reality, he _would_ be with her, but not in a form that she wished to expose to the general public just yet. Not even his fellow guardsmen.

In the end, it was the memory of his thorough inspection of her room, despite the level of security within the Outpost, that gave her an idea. However, she wasn’t sure if it was something Link was likely to do himself. If it seemed out of character, it might raise some flags among the soldiers who knew him better than she did. Which may as well have been all of them.

“Link,” Zelda started, drawing out the single syllable of his name as she turned in the saddle to face him.

He had been watching the world go by from his perch, seemingly relaxed, but Zelda knew that he was actually alert and ready to act the moment he spotted a threat. At the sound of her voice, Link turned away from his vigil to give her his undivided attention.

“Would I be right in saying that you are a meticulous person? Perhaps, overly cautious?” 

She had honestly tried to keep her voice neutral but the query had sounded a little dry, even to her own ears. Link’s gaze drifted a centimetre or so away from her face as he thought about his answer before he came back to her eyes and nodded. Progress.

“Then would it be out of character for you to set a test for the guards at the outpost? If I were to say that you were practicing stealth to gauge the soldiers efficiency and perceptiveness, and that was why you were not physically at my side, would it be considered uncharacteristic of you?”

Link thought the excuse was highly specific but he had to fight the urge to laugh. His parents could attest to how much he liked sneaking around places, a habit that his little sister had picked up from him, unfortunately. He wasn’t sure if any of his comrades in the military would consider him stealthy, but he had to admit it was a good idea. Had he been Hylian he might have actually done it. The excuse was feasible, easily maintainable and the Princess had thought of it at such short notice.

He shook his head in answer to her question and watched as relief coloured the Princess’ face.

 _She doesn’t get small victories very often, does she?_ The thought made Link sad and he wasn’t sure why. It wasn’t like he was supposed to be invested in her emotional wellbeing. 

“Right, in that case, it’s best if we hide you now,” the Princess stated, opening one of the saddlebags on her own horse and gesturing for Link to get inside. “The guards will be able to see us shortly and will no doubt notice that you are not riding with me. I don’t particularly want to have to explain the presence of a bizarre looking _lizard_ at the same time as explaining your absence.”

The reasoning was sound but Link still hesitated before obeying. He wasn’t particularly thrilled by the idea of having his line of sight obstructed, but he had to concede that his current appearance would take a lot of explaining. And now was not the time. 

He obediently crawled into one of the bags that the Princess held open for him, but as she let the flap close he propped it open with nose. It gave him just the barest inch to see out of and Link decided it would have to be enough. 

It wasn’t until they passed through the south gates of the Outpost that Zelda happened to look down and realised that Link’s head had been poking out of her saddle bag the whole time. With a deep sigh and a quick re-evaluation of herself, Zelda leaned down to poke his snout back into the bag and out of sight. Hopefully, the action would look like she was just refastening the lid shut on her belongings.

Zelda and her two horses were led into the compound and Captain Akela came striding over to meet her, cropped red hair blazing in the light of the setting sun.

“Princess, I am glad you have returned safely. We were a little worried with the appearance of the storm last night. I’m hearing reports of quite a few damaged trees in the Faron region but I must ask where is your knight? I would have assumed he would be by your side at all times,” she asked, squinting a little at Link’s rider-less brown mare as if the horse were hiding the Hylian Champion.

“I’m afraid that standing guard over me yesterday seems to have made my knight a little restless. He expressed a desire to exercise his stealth skills and is likely watching us at this moment from … somewhere,” Zelda trailed off vaguely, trying to sound bored with her knights antics whilst also willing her heart to stop beating so loudly.

If she had been worried that the Captain would have seen through her lie, she needn’t have as Akela barked a laugh.

“Oh really? You hear that?” She yelled over her shoulder at the soldiers gathering in the courtyard to listen in on their Captain, “the Hylian Champion has managed to sneak past the lot of you. Let’s keep our eyes peeled tonight, shall we?”

With a sudden flurry of activity, the soldiers scattered from the courtyard to return to their posts and take up watch in the hopes of being the one to spot the Princess’ appointed knight. Nothing like a concrete goal to motivate the forces. Zelda felt just a touch bit guilty, but the lingering grin on Akela’s face soothed her worries.

“That’ll keep them on their toes. Not a bad idea,” the Captain praised, and since the idea had technically been Zelda’s she allowed herself to feel emboldened by the compliment.

Her belongings – and Link’s – were taken to her room and she joined the guards for dinner that night, listening to stories they shared of their hometowns. As she ate, she couldn’t help comparing the meal to the one Link had made back at the Spring of Courage. She wondered who had taught him; another question to ask. Trying to practice some stealth herself, every so often she would put some food into a napkin with the intent to take it back to her room. As far as she knew, Link had not eaten at all since their meal last night. Feigning tiredness, she excused herself from the table and all of the guards stood up and bowed as she left. 

Once she had retreated to her room, she carefully shut and locked her door before turning around to find their saddlebags. Opening up hers revealed her field journal, several bundles of dried warm safflina she had forgotten to remove from her last excursion, her folded prayer dress, her water bottle, and of course her trusted Sheikah Slate. But no Link.

Removing the Sheikah Slate and activating the screen, she looked around her room in an effort to spot him. 

_He didn’t actually start sneaking around the Outpost, did he?_

As she considered trying to track down her knight, a shadow moving against the solitary window in the room made her jump and she hissed under her breath. The small silhouette of a serpentine dragon sitting on her window sill was recognisable against the faint torchlight outside. He was looking out into the night, following the movement of passing soldiers as they carried out patrols. Patrols that were probably now a lot more attentive with the knowledge that the Hylian Champion was supposedly watching them from the shadows somewhere. Zelda felt the guilt come back.

“Link, move out of the window,” she said, coming over to brush him out of the way before shutting the curtains closed and lighting her bedside lamp.

To avoid her sweeping hand, Link hastily jumped down onto her bedside table and then dropped onto the floor. He craned his head up to look at her, expecting some sort of reprimand but the Princess was still staring into the lamp, transfixed by it’s glow as she become lost in thought. It gave Link the opportunity to observe. 

The tension in her shoulders spoke of the great strain that she was under but her face was impassive, as she receded deep within her own mental space. Link could relate. Her posture also wasn’t that of the prim and proper Princess that Link was used to seeing. A posture she usually maintained even when it was just her alone with him. But it wasn’t there now. 

There had been other strange behaviours since the Spring of Courage. Now that he was in this form, she seemed oddly obsessed with knowing his whereabouts, though he highly doubted it was for any sociable reasons. It was probably more to do with knowing where he was so that she could control the situation until a plan could be formed.

 _A plan she’s no doubt coming up with right now_ , Link thought.

It was funny how their roles had reversed, with the Princess now experiencing a responsibility to keep watch over him. Only it wasn’t a laughing kind of funny, but instead an appreciation of how life was filled with curveballs. Stress filled curveballs. Now that Zelda was having to keep him close by, it meant she couldn’t relax. Her loss of posture was merely a compromise.

If he knew how to tell her that he wouldn’t think any less of her for letting go, without sounding like a condescending prick, he would have. 

He suddenly became distracted from his thoughts by an interesting smell coming from her belt pack and he leaned up on his back legs to get closer and identify what it was. Now that he had the presence of mind to notice, he took note of the fact that his sense of smell had increased. 

Hylians were not particularly well known for their olfactory abilities, as they had instead been gifted with enhanced hearing compared to the other races, but Link was not currently a Hylian and he had never been able to smell food so strongly before in his life. Sniffing the air he could detect something savoury and Link recalled that he hadn’t eaten anything in the last twenty-four hours. Yet, he didn’t feel hungry at all. 

_But I’m always hungry…_

The Princess moved away from the window and he dropped back to the floor, lest she notice his interest in her bag. Raising his head up, he saw that she was now staring down at him, hands on her hips as she judged him from above. At least, Link assumed that's what she was doing, but he doubted his new form was endearing himself to her any more than his previous one. 

Being stared at always caused his ears to blush - a horrible tell - and he’d have to fight the urge to avert his eyes, unwilling to show even a fraction of his unease. But right now, all he was feeling was the awkwardness that came with prolonged eye contact.

One of Zelda's eyebrows twitched as she finished her contemplation and she bent at the knees to rest on the floor in front of him. Link also sat, except he wasn't that far off the ground while standing to begin with so his posture didn't change much.

Silence pervaded the room as they continued to evaluate the other. 

“So, you’re a dragon. How do you suggest we proceed from here?”

Link knew, from a previous attempt that the power of speech was now lost to him. Regardless, he attempted to answer but all that escaped him was a croaking noise, halfway between a bird and a frog. Link closed his mouth again.

“Ah,” was all Zelda said to that.

 _Well, that's not too much of a loss,_ Link thought, while Zelda stood up to fetch something from her bedside table. Still, he wasn't sure how he was going to be able to communicate with just body language any more. He would have to exaggerate his actions.

Zelda returned holding the Sheikah Slate. She propped it up against her knees so that the screen faced Link. 

“Try and use this. Let's see what your motility is like.”

Link approached the Slate and saw a list of Hylian characters along one side of the screen and an empty box in the middle. He poked one of the characters with his nose and it appeared in the box. Pressing another caused it to appear in the box after the first.

“Can you not use your hands … feet?” Zelda asked, face twisting a little as she considered how best to describe Link's appendages.

Sitting down again, Link pushed his spine back and up, trying to balance his torso along his centre of gravity leaving his front legs – arms – free. His tail lay flat to the floor, preventing him from tipping too far backwards and after settling back onto his hips more comfortably he looked back up at Zelda.

She offered the Slate to him again and he was now able to press his tiny clawed feet against the hylian characters. Once he had finished, Zelda took the screen back and looked at what was written there, absently aware that he could read and write. She wondered who taught him.

[Hello Princess Zelda]

“H-hi …” She answered weakly.

Zelda had expected some sort of explanation or report of his condition. Perhaps even a response to her initial question, not an innocent greeting. Staring down at him, she watched as he scrunched one set of claws repeatedly, like a wave. Or perhaps he was just testing his dexterity. 

_We never actually got the chance to greet each other. Or, rather, I never gave him the chance..._

She looked from Link, to the screen, and then back again before sighing. On the one hand this was the perfect opportunity for her to be rid of him, but on the other it was beneath her to simply abandon him in this state. They didn’t know each other, at all, and she still wasn’t sure she wanted to bother but the fact that he hadn’t immediately begun to blame her for his state piqued her curiosity.

 _Does he not see the connection? Is this all just random chance to him?_ She mused.

Even to the Hero of Hyrule this sequence of events must seem very peculiar, regardless of any magic sword he possessed. She swallowed audibly as thoughts concerning the whereabouts of the missing Master Sword returned with a vengeance. It was just _gone_.

Flicking her eyes back to her knight, who was still sitting neatly before her, Zelda decided to ask him for any conclusions he had made since that morning.

“What do you think this is? Why do you think this has happened? I have my own theories of course, but surely you’ve given the situation some thought yourself.”

 _Bit passive aggressive there, Zelda,_ she chastised herself.

To his credit, Link seemed to consider his answer carefully before typing out a response. She even saw his scaly brow tense for a moment before he deleted something he had just input. It was obvious that he thought about everything he did thoroughly before committing to an action.

Once he was done, he rested his front legs back down on the floor.

[A trial from Farore]

 _A trial? For him?_ Zelda wondered. _But why would he who was chosen by the Sword of Evil’s Bane feel that he would need to be tested? Unless … he didn’t think himself worthy?_

Now _that_ was an interesting concept, one she had not yet considered at all. But that couldn’t be true; he was so self assured and confident. Nobody else seemed to doubt his abilities, unlike hers. The idea was ridiculous but as long as he wasn’t blaming her she would let him believe whatever he wanted.

While the Princess was lost in thought, Link waited to see if his answer had displeased her or not. She didn’t seem angry or irritated, which was a plus for him, but she did seem a bit taken aback. Perhaps even confused by his answer. She was usually so forthcoming with her thought processes that her silence on this matter must mean she did not wish to share her conclusion, least of all with him.

“Link, may I have a look at your teeth?”

The Princess' request was so far removed from the previous topic that it took a couple of seconds for Link to respond. Deciding not to over think it, Link obliged. 

Open jaws revealed a top and bottom row of platinum coloured teeth, each with polished edges meant to slice. Zelda had seen skulls of Dodongos from ages long past and Link’s teeth seemed to be just as deadly, even if they were miniatures. The long canines had a slight curve to them like scimitars and their sheen reminded her of polished metal. 

She redirected her focus towards his claws allowing Link to close his mouth, which he was thankful for. His jaw had started to ache.

“Your claws seem to be made from the same material that comprises your teeth. How odd,” she commented, using a forefinger to gently lift one set of his claws for closer inspection.

Being scrutinised this intensely was beginning to make him feel very uncomfortable and only the years of discipline prevented him from fidgeting. He got the impression she would not like it if he did. She eventually left his claws alone and reached for her pack, but as she settled her hand on it her eyes widened and her mouth opened in a small ‘oh’.

Unfastening it from her belt, the Princess retrieved a small napkin parcel. This was what Link had smelled earlier; she must have wanted a snack for later. Assuming that she was done with her observations, Link waited for her to dismiss him for the day so he could go back to his guard duty. Instead, she cleared her throat pointedly and offered the parcel of food out to him, keeping her eyes averted.

“Here. I haven’t seen you eat for the whole day and I’ll need you healthy before I present you to my father.”

The tightly folded napkin was placed down on the floor in front of him before she stood up and turned away from him to walk towards her bed.

“I’m going to retire for the night, once you are finished you are not to leave this room. I don’t want to waste my time trying to find you tomorrow morning.”

Link had no intention of wandering far but he was a little surprised that the Princess had taken note of his lack of sustenance. Then again, she was a highly observant individual. He turned around dutifully as the Princess changed into her nightclothes and once she was settled in bed, her breathing slow and deep within the clutches of sleep, Link started to eat. 

Tugging the napkin open revealed a chunk of cooked cuccoo meat and some roasted carrots. He wasn’t the neatest eater in Hyrule and with the lack of eating utensils or dexterous hands, he was going to have to forgo table manners entirely. 

The cuccoo meat tore apart with little resistance and the carrots sliced easily beneath his teeth. Everything inside the napkin was consumed with very little mess and yet Link couldn’t say that he felt particularly full, though nor was he hungry. Compared to everything else that was happening, that detail didn’t seem particularly important but at least the food still tasted delicious.

As he wormed his way through the closed curtains to stand guard in the window again, Link was thankful that he could still enjoy food. He wasn’t sure what he would have done if _that_ got taken from him too.

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

“Thank you for your hospitality, Captain, I will be sure to mention to the General how well everything is operating here,” Zelda said, as she made her way out of the Outpost complex the following morning.

As far as the soldiers in the Outpost knew, Link was still watching them as he remained hidden from sight. Unsurprisingly, no-one had been able to spot him and he was now safely tucked away again in the pack on her belt. Zelda still felt bad for the deception but it had been necessary, so she decided to put in a good word for the regiment instead.

“Thank you, your Highness, however, I’m afraid I am going to have to ask that you take one of my soldiers with you on your journey back to the Castle,” Captain Akela said, looking uneasy. “It would be remiss of me not to assign you a visible escort for your journey while your knight is keeping to the shadows. Even if it is just through Hyrule field.” 

The Captain had been expecting to see a flash of frustration across the Princess’ face, if the rumours she had heard were anything to go by, but she was surprised to see the Princess nod in agreement. 

“I quite agree, Captain. In fact, I spoke with my knight last night and even though he will be following my every step, he expressed concern that travelling as though I were alone would make me look vulnerable to attack.” Zelda gave a put upon sigh and from the confines of her pack Link had to admit that such a sentiment would not have been out of character for him. “I’m not sure what he expects will happen to me across a well travelled and populated open field, but you saw how he was when we came through here on our way to the Spring. Plus, I will need assistance with bringing his horse back to the Castle as well.” 

The Captain was obviously trying not to look too relieved by her acquiescence. 

“Yes, he did seem the thorough type, but I am glad we are in agreement and I have just the soldier on hand to help you with that. Hopefully, Link’s horse will also be agreeable.”

As a matter of fact, Link’s horse was agreeable and Zelda was introduced to a young soldier called Edward who was due to head home on the next rotation. Not only did this new duty mean that he got to go home a week early, but he was also given the honour and responsibility of escorting the Princess.

The journey back to the castle was uneventful and the soldier was happy to keep quiet unless spoken directly to, which Zelda actually did on a couple of occasions. She found herself curious about what it was like to be training for knighthood and asked Edward the odd question here and there as she thought of them. It was also abundantly clear that he was a tad nervous and was probably intimidated by her station but he answered her questions as best he could.

During their travels, Zelda would occasionally reach down to push Link’s nose back into the confines of her pack from where he had started to peek out again. Despite what she had commanded of him, he insisted on keeping a look out from his hiding place. Thank fully, the soldier was paying more attention to their surroundings than her individual actions and it went unnoticed. 

As they neared Castle Town, Zelda fastened the pack closed, determined to keep Link hidden from sight. 

They passed through the main entrance gate, Zelda nodded to the guards standing by, and she parted ways with her escort; Edward had decided to stay behind and chat with the guards, promising to deliver Link’s horse to the Castle stables later that day. Now left to her own devices, she turned her attention to guiding her horse through the streets of Castle Town, keeping her head up and back straight as she went. 

The town wasn’t particularly busy at this time of day but the people still out and about on the streets bowed as she passed by and she inclined her head to them politely in response. Children playing by the central fountain giggled and clapped as they saw the Princess’ royal horse pass them by and they waved as she made her way across the bridge over the Castle moat.

Zelda allowed herself a small smile at their joy before the solid metal gates creaked open and she crossed the threshold into the Castle grounds. With each step her mount took, the more joy seeped out of her frame only for rising nausea to take its place. Soon, she would have to present Link before her father. Perhaps, Advisor Impa and the General too.

Upon reaching the courtyards, a stable-hand came to take responsibility for her horse and she dismounted. Zelda retrieved Link’s tunic before her bags could be removed and she gave the stable-hands instructions to have both her and Link’s belongings brought up to her room. Though she received a brief look of confusion over her words, they bowed diligently and promised to pass the message along.

With their bags now taken care of, Zelda put some distance between herself and the stables before opening her pack. She reached inside and waited for Link to take the hint and climb into her hand before quickly stashing him into the folded fabric and setting off for the Castle proper. Hopefully no-one recognised that the blue fabric she was holding was actually Link’s or his absence would become even more noticeable.

Zelda grimaced at the thought. She’d been lucky so far that no-one had thought to raise the issue.

Link was beginning to tire of being repeatedly shoved into yet more enclosed spaces and he had relished the brief moment of fresh air. He considered trying to find an opening in all this blue fabric but decided against it as he was being held very securely in the Princess’ grip. Instead, he decided to take the opportunity to rely on his sense of hearing. 

During the journey from the Outpost, he’d been able to hear the conversation that occurred between the Princess and Edward, but he had also been able to hear nearby birds chirruping and the rustle of the dead leaves disturbed by the wind. It was a rich plethora of sounds he had not expected to be able to pick up from within the Princess’ leather pack, even with his new sensitivity. 

From the general chatter of Castle folk and the clinking of armour from passing guards Link could deduce that they were still outside but there was also a deep, regular thumping noise he could not identify. At first he wondered if it was footsteps, but there was already a rhythmic tapping of the Princess’ boots as she ascended a flight of stairs and the subsequent softening of her footfalls indicated that she had reached plush carpet; a hallway. The unidentified thumping noise was now louder and faster and it only increased in speed as the Princess continued on her way through the Castle.

She eventually came to a stop and Link heard her request that the Royal Advisor, Impa, the Hylian General, Tapidor, and the King all came to the council room. It was an urgent matter that herself and the Hylian Champion wished to discuss as soon as possible. 

It wasn’t until the messenger was sent on their way and the thumping noise got even louder that Link realised what it was. It was a heartbeat. Princess Zelda’s heartbeat.

More steps across carpet, sharp taps against stairs and then the creak of a door opening and closing. Link felt himself be placed down onto something hard and flat, which he guessed was the table in the centre of the council room, and the sound of the Princess’ frantic heart fell away.

While his continued inability to see his surroundings irked him, he was currently more concerned with how stressed the Princess was. Admittedly, he too should probably be feeling some level of anxiety as he was about to put forth before the King, but it was strangely absent in this moment. Thankfully, he didn’t have to wait long before squeaky hinges announced the arrival of new voices, all talking amongst themselves before their attentions switched to the Princess.

“Ah, Zelda, there you are. Now, what is it that you wished to discuss with us?” The King asked, his deep voice carrying easily across the room and Link felt his body jerk with the need to kneel. “And where is Link? The messenger said that you both wished to speak to us, I assumed about your recent travels to the Spring of Courage.” 

“Yes, well, the purpose of our meeting pertains to that,” Zelda explained, “but first… there is no delicate way to do this, so-” 

Finally, the tunic was opened up and Link blinked with the sudden exposure to light. Once his eyes refocused, he looked up at the gathered faces situated around the table, two in particular catching his attention. 

Advisor Impa was a woman of average height with a lean figure, carefully honed from years of martial practice and discipline. The emblem of the Sheikah was tattooed across her forehead and her eyes were lined with a similar shade of shocking crimson. Striking such a sharp figure, it was no wonder she commanded respect from every corner of the Hylian army, over whom she had absolutely no jurisdiction. Not that she would inform them of that.

General Tapidor, on the other hand, was a tall man built like a bear. He had short dark hair with sideburns framing his face like wolf fur and a neatly trimmed beard to match. Despite his intimidating appearance he had earned the respect of the members in his guard through fair discipline and steadfast encouragement. The soft brown of his eyes were always noticed last on his person and they betrayed the virtuous soul within. He was better known to his knights as Cap'n Tap from his earlier years and it was this man who had trained with Link's father. It was also this man who had taken Link under his wing to train him one on one when he came forward with the Master Sword.

Despite the weight they carried within the higher rankings of the Castle they were both now outright gawking at Link, wearing equal looks of confusion and incredulity.

“Is… is that a dragon, your highness?” Impa breathed.

“Yes, it is. However, I’m afraid that – as difficult as it is to believe – that dragon also happens to be my Appointed Knight and the Hylian Champion; Link.”

There was a pause as all of the adults shared glances, before looking back over to their Princess again.

“Zelda,” the King started with a warning tone but he stopped when he noticed that the dragon had bowed his head. “Truly?”

Unsure of how else to confirm the Princess’s words as truth Link attempted his best to kneel in this new form. With one leg tucked up underneath him and one stretched out in front he lowered the front half of his body against the table with his head bent to his chest and his eyes closed. He may look like a dragon now but he was still a Knight of Hyrule and nothing could take that away from him. 

And damn anything that tried.

As the King gestured for Link to rise once more, he heard Impa suck in a breath through her teeth, “sweet Nayru.”

It was clearly a lot to process.

Meanwhile, the General, Link’s superior and a man he had respected for many years, had covered his mouth behind his hand in an effort to hide a portion of his shocked expression. Link’s new keen hearing was still able to detect the muttered expletive from the man’s lips, however. His heart sunk, feeling that he had disappointed him.

This had been his first out of the Castle excursion alongside the Princess and he had managed to lose the Master Sword as well as be turned into a small lizard. 

Farore had deemed him unworthy.

“How did this happen? It must be a sign,” the King announced, looking to his daughter for answers. Ironic.

While the Princess did her best to recall all of the events that had occurred between arriving at the Spring and the discovery of Link’s transformation, Impa and the General came forward to inspect him for themselves but they didn’t touch him. Whether they feared accidentally hurting him or the mere sight of a living, breathing dragon was simply too much for them Link did not know. He would admit, it was a bit intimidating but he was grateful that they did not try to poke him or grab him, already tired of being manhandled for one day.

“Where is the Master Sword?” Impa enquired, looking away from the dragon and towards the King and Zelda.

“I... I don't know. It wasn't with him when I … picked him up,” Zelda answered, haltingly, hoping they would not find fault with her for it's disappearance.

“Perhaps it was returned to where he got it originally, now that he is unable to wield it?” The General suggested.

“We'll have to worry about that later, once we have Link back in a state where he can use the sword,” the King decided, verbally brushing the issue aside. “Perhaps it will be returned to him without our interference. More urgently, we need a story to explain Link's absence.”

 _A long term cover story, at that,_ Zelda thought, _he was just appointed as my Knight, it's going to look very odd if he suddenly appears to go missing. Faking an illness won’t exactly inspire confidence in the general populace either._

“But, My Majesty, do you not recall?” Impa started, a sly smile playing on her face, “you authorised Link’s absence from the Princess's side so that he may complete special training with the Sheikah. You said that it would be in his best interest to practice the Sheikah arts and to remain unseen so that he may impact on Zelda as little as possible, therefore facilitating a more cohesive partnership.”

For one wild moment, Zelda was absolutely positive that Impa was a psychic. _That was the same excuse I used!_ But then a vice made of guilt constricted around her heart as the implications of someone else coming up with the same alibi settled in. She realised just how abrasive she must have been behaving for her irritation at Link’s presence to have been so noticeable. It felt even worse when her Father went on to agree that it was a convincing cover story, with the General adding into the conversation that he would spread the lie among the guard too.

 _It's believable that my appointed knight would be instructed to practice stealth so as not to bother me? Can no-one understand why I might find his particular presence bothersome? It's got nothing to do with having a knight... it's who they asked. _

“With that matter solved we now need to consider how in Hylia's name we are going to explain the presence of a dragon? It's incredibly rare to actually see one and at this point they're almost nothing more than myth. People will start to notice him, he's not exactly inconspicuous,” the General pointed out, gesturing to Link on the table.

Link looked down at himself; he didn't think he looked that bad if he were honest. The horn was probably going to get in the way, but it was nothing compared to the one that he had seen on Farosh. The Dragon of Thunder had looked directly at him and he had stared right back.

 _I should probably mention that_ , he decided but a soft voice spoke before he could attempt any form of communication.

“Farore.”

“Excuse me?” Tapidor said, looking away from the table towards the Princess.

“We can say that as I prayed at the Spring of Courage Farore gifted me with a guide to aid me in unlocking my powers,” Zelda proposed.

It was a long shot, but not entirely inaccurate. The dragons were indeed rare, and very few people had actually been able to see them, but according to past records they used to appear far more regularly. Link himself was of the opinion that this was the will of Farore, though it was far from a gift. Furthermore, it was too coincidental for Zelda's tastes that her knight, the game piece that stood for the aspect of courage was transformed during her 'prayers'. 

_Rant, Zelda, call it what it was_ , she reprimanded herself as her heart was squeezed harder. 

“Hmm, that's not a bad suggestion,” the King considered, approvingly. “Yes, I imagine we could make that work. Good thinking, Zelda.”

While she smiled gratefully on the outside, inwardly she failed to feel rewarded by his comment. 

_There is something inherently wrong about being praised by him for the first time in months because I was able to devise a believable enough lie,_ she thought. 

Her attention drifted over to the small golden form of Link, still sat on his haunches upon the council table with his tiny wings tucked neatly at his sides. She briefly wondered about being able to draw them fully outstretched and found herself starting to plan ways to measure them before she mentally slapped herself.

 _That is Link, you are not going to be prodding him around like he were some sort of lab specimen... even though if we ordered him to he'd probably stay still._

The realisation only made her feel worse as she came to terms with how easily she could abuse her powers when he was oath bound to follow her everywhere. Besides, beneath that calm exterior he must be livid with her; the first time he witnessed her failure at the Spring to awaken her powers he was cursed into this form. He may be holding his tongue now, under a veneer of duty, but that wouldn't last forever with their continued partnership.

Apparently, the King had other ideas.

“Champion Link, given your condition I must offer you the opportunity to release you from your Appointment to my daughter. I understand that you must be more than a little traumatised from this endeavour and it is only fair that you not be put under any more pressure in a situation you cannot measure up to.”

If Link was traumatised by the event, he was dealing with it rather well but Zelda was focused more on her father's words.

_Oh, really? Where is my free pass when I am beyond stressed … I may not have changed species but still, how can you be so blind?!_

For some inexplicable reason, Zelda hoped that Link would not leave. Granted, being watched constantly was exhausting and his damn silence only made her paranoia worse but given his current appearance, she doubted he would have the same effect. Finally, she would have something of interest about her knight to think about and maybe even discuss. But how in the Three could he stay? He was tiny, there was no way he could- Link was shaking his head.

“You wish to remain at your post?”

Link nodded.

“I mean this with no offence, Link, but,” the General paused, obviously trying to phrase the thought everyone was thinking as delicately as possible. “You're too small to be effective at defending the Princess. I also doubt you could do that much damage to any would be assailants.”

Link's facial expression didn't change, not that his reptilian face could change all that much given his size, but Zelda did notice the slight shuffling of his wings for a few brief seconds.

_Did that comment irritate him?_

“We will have to provide temporary guards until Link can return to his Hylian form,” Impa said, turning away from Link as she addressed the others. “I suggest you take some of my warriors so as not to incur favouritism among your own knights, Tapidor.” 

“I agree, I dare not imagine the posturing I would have to endure if word got out that _that_ position was available. It would also fit into the excuse for Link's absence, we would have replaced him with a Sheikah guard for the meantime while he conducts his training.”

While Zelda inwardly praised Impa’s quick thinking, yet again, her joy at having Sheikah guards was short lived as she continued to watch Link. As a new guard was being proposed, the small dragon began gradually gathering himself together, staring down at the table top. Even though his expression did not change, his eyes seemed to become much more intense, charged with an emotion Zelda could not identify. His tense body almost looked like it was glowing. 

“Excellent. It is decided then, please bring me your best and most discreet for approval so that we may have them instated as quickly as possible,” the King concluded, with the Hylian General and Royal Advisor bowing their heads in accord.

“Ah, tough break there, Link, it really is a shame. I think you would have done brilliantly,” the General said quietly to the small dragon and he reached out a hand to tap him between the shoulders gently. Akin to a pat on the back.

Instead, the General yelped as sparks singed his leather clad fingertips and he quickly withdrew his hand. 

_That's new!_

The wavy horn on Link’s head ignited with arcs of electricity as it sparked erratically and the feathers along the back of his neck rose from the static. Link's coiled body now sprang forward to lunge for the retreating hand. In a matter of seconds, his serpentine body had raced up the length of Tapidor's arm and coiled around the General's throat, sharp, shining platinum teeth puncturing through the steel neck guard. His claws were also piercing the armour beneath his feet as easily as his teeth, slicing through the metal as if it were jelly.

Nobody moved or dared to approach as Link kept himself coiled tightly around the General's neck, all of the action occurring within seconds. Yet, a quick glance to the man's face showed no fear. In fact, he seemed rather calm about the situation, comprehension clear upon his features as he raised a hand to gently cover Link's head.

“Alright lad, I think you've proven your point.”

Taking the hand away again, Link let go of his hold on the General revealing tiny holes left behind in the armour.

“Did you really have to do damage? I've had this for years you know,” Tapidor said, running a finger over the marks, tutting, before depositing Link back onto the table.

The knight turned dragon was at least trying to look contrite. The idea of being replaced had not sat well with Link. He wasn't sure whether it was a matter of pride or the idea of being left with nothing to do, surrounded by people he had let down. Either way, he'd felt the need to disprove their assumptions and demonstrate how effective he could still be. It had been a gamble, one that apparently had paid off.

“Well, he clearly still has spirit and some neat little tricks up his sleeves. He's certainly not harmless by any stretch of the word, but that lightning will need tempering lest it get out of control. Someone should send for Urbosa, perhaps she can help him,” Impa surmised, as she bent down to tap Link on the head lightly. After receiving no shock in return she turned to the others.

“I will bring forward my best Sheikah warriors who will guard the Princess from a distance, but perhaps removing Link from the Princess' side is not the best course of action. It will most likely impact on their ability to work together in the final fight if we limit their interaction now. We have no idea when Link will change back. It would be better for them to stick together in the mean time while the option is available.”

Zelda wanted to both thank Impa and scream into the walls. On the one hand, her guards were now Sheikah, who she found to be much easier to get along with. But on the other hand, it would now be expected for both herself and Link to spend even more time together than they would have previously. 

_Teamwork and all that_ , Zelda thought morosely, _at least I have a reason to invite Urbosa here… perhaps all of the Champions._

The meeting was concluded with Zelda still deep in thought, once again proving that her input was generally unnecessary, and people began to file out. Impa and Tapidor were discussing how best to select new guard candidates for the King's approval, while the King himself swept out of the room ahead of them all. As he left, he gave a nod to Link and then placed a hand lightly on Zelda's shoulder to say softly 'keep trying'. 

With everyone else gone, it left Zelda alone with only Link for company, who was still sat on the table with a faint glimmer between his scales. Only now he was focused solely on her. This again.

She wasn't sure what to do with him.

“Come with me,” she said, finally, before snatching up his tunic, turning away, and striding out of the council room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this is the most heavily edited chapter to date. It's had so many revisions since I started writing this story back in January and that part at the end with the King, Impa, my character of the Hylian General is one of the first scenes I wrote. It could probably do with more streamlining and faffing with but if I edit it anymore i'm going to butcher it's intended purpose.
> 
> Btw, Captain Akela and General Tapidor are both named after cultivars of oilseed, which feature in my MSc~
> 
> Thank you everyone for the wonderful feedback, I'm glad you're enjoying!


	4. The Agreement

The fact that Link might have difficulty following after Zelda didn't occur to her until she was already approaching her room. 

After looking back over her shoulder to tell him to keep up she saw an empty corridor, with only the occasional guard dotted along the walls and the maids fluttering about for company. It wasn't until she spotted the nearest guards looking at something around her feet that she looked down.

Clinging onto the thick leather of her riding boots was Link. Given that he was so still, and the lustre of his scales was unlike that of any living creature, he almost looked like some sort of adornment. In order to prevent a rumour spreading before the one they had agreed upon could be implemented Zelda decided to just roll with it. Looking up and forward again, she finished walking towards her bedroom door, crossed the threshold and then closed the door behind her. As soon as the door clicked shut, she stamped her foot down with enough force to dislodge Link from her person.

“Couldn't be bothered to walk yourself? Don't do that again. I am not _transport_ ,” she hissed, exhaling harshly out through her nose.

Link sprang onto the floor with a soft thump, claws clattering lightly against the stone brick-work. 

After being left behind on the table in the council chamber, he hadn't had much of a choice but to jump down and dash after her, latching onto the ankle of one of her boots before he lost sight of her. 

He should have predicted that the Princess would be displeased. She did tend to be with him.

The Princess began folding his Champion’s Tunic, walking away to place it down at the foot of her bed, before rounding on him again. Given his vantage point from the floor, the sight of her form advancing on him from across the room was very intimidating.

“So,” she started, “you chose to remain as my Knight, even going so far as to demonstrate how you can still act in my defence. I want to ask you, why?”

The answer seemed a little obvious to Link; he wanted to protect her. As he opened his mouth to respond, he was again reminded that speech was no longer an option. Ironic that as soon as he actually felt ready to answer one of her questions verbally he was unable to do so. But then the Sheikah Slate was being placed on the floor in front of him and the Princess sat down to wait for him to type out his answer.

When he simply remained sitting there, scaled arms extended but with the claws hesitating just above the surface of the screen she huffed. 

“Is it really that hard of a question?”

Link shook his head, still focused on the screen. In truth, he wasn't sure how best to answer and perhaps the fact that he hadn’t been able to just blurt out an answer was a blessing. Saying that it was his duty as the King had given him this responsibility was the most factual answer, but it sounded cold and hollow even inside his own head. Bringing up his Hero title was sure to annoy her and declaring that he personally wished to keep her safe would sound incredibly presumptuous and a bit creepy.

Not to mention that bringing any personal desires into the equation would be unacceptably forward and treading into dangerous territory for their relationship as Princess and Knight. Being in her room was bad enough.

It was clear that nobody hadn’t considered just how nerve racking it was to be a teenage boy following a very attractive Princess around _all the time_. Regardless of his stoicism and self control. 

He’d been reminded a couple of times during his new appointment that he was a biological powder keg of hormones and it was, quite frankly, annoying. But, interestingly, over the past twenty four hours there hadn’t been so much as a hint. Not once since his transformation had he felt any of the uncomfortable tendencies that came with being a late teenager.

Obviously, shock had played a large factor initially but after spending a lot of time either on the back of his horse in the Princess’ saddlebag as the countryside past them by, he’d managed to calm down. Even after he’d been bodily handled by the Princess to be put into said saddle bag that morning, he’d found composure and time to sort things out in his mind. 

The act of settling amongst her personal belongings surely would have made him combust had he been human. He’d unwillingly noted that everything in the bag smelled like her too; earthy but crisp, like an open field after it had rained. Yet, he’d felt nothing. Nothing, bar the unease of touching someone else’s things. He prayed this new development was just because dragons didn't experience the upheaval that was adolescence rather than lingering stress following the change in species. Either way he was slightly relieved. It was certainly one aspect of his life that he had not enjoyed and it’s absence would mean he could do his job much more efficiently.

Given this train of thought, however, he could appreciate why the Princess wasn’t keen on his appointment even more, besides the reasons Mipha had given. 

Small, tight knit, golden scales stretched to accommodate a large sigh, barely audible to the Princess, yet Link still could not think of an appropriate answer.

_How am I supposed to put into words my instinctual protective nature, without coming across as a whimsical idiot?_

Maybe he should just explain that he wanted to keep at least one thing in common with his Hylian life. However, this would mean revealing a mote of vulnerability to the Princess and he’d already had a few of those following his transformation.

Eventually he tapped out a small reply, deciding to just bite the blade and hope she didn’t think him either overly egotistical or just down right patronising.

[ _It felt like the right thing to do_ ]

Sitting there with the Slate back in her hands, Zelda wasn't sure how to interpret those words. She doubted it was related to duty as nobody knew who he was in this form, so it wasn't as if he was trying to save face. But it was also highly unlikely that he felt the need to prove himself. The Master Sword had already taken care of- 

She froze, fingers clasped around the Sheikah Slate going taught, her question utterly forgotten. The Master Sword had vanished. 

Once again, it's disappearance came back to haunt her, and despite the surprisingly flippant attitude her father had taken in regards to the announcement it weighed on her heavily. Even though the blade was no longer being paraded around on his back, as if to mock her, the fact that it was missing was extremely alarming. The Sword of Evil's Bane had been on the playing field, they'd had it in their possession, they at least had that. Now it was gone.

And it wasn't even remotely Link's fault, despite what he thought of the situation. Her stomach boiled with guilt.

While silent panic began to build within the Princess, Link had taken her silence as disapproval. It was a pretty flimsy answer, even by his standards, but anything else had sounded over the top. He did things, generally, because he wanted to or because it would make someone else happy. In this instance, his decision before the King had probably weighed in his favour more than the Princess's – who evidently did not enjoy having a chaperone – but he still hoped that with time she might value his companionship.

He was saved from any more self introspection as a knock sounded on the door.

The Princess looked up, “who is it?”

“It is Impa, your Highness. I’ve come to discuss your security detail.”

Begrudgingly, Zelda stood up from the floor and went over to the door to let Impa in. The Sheikah advisor inclined her head as she walked in, subtly scanning the room as she tried to locate where Link was. Speaking of which.

The Princess turned on her heel, still holding the door open, before pointing at Link and then out of her room. Link was a smart man – dragon - and he took this to mean that he was dismissed, quickly making his way out of her room and down the hall. He was careful to keep close to the walls.

Just before he turned a corner, he heard Impa speak.

“You know, he probably should have stayed for this as your protection still requires his input.”

“Impa,” the Princess began delicately, “I mean this with the greatest possible respect, but there is absolutely no way I am inviting _him_ to make any decisions on my behalf.”

Link was pretty sure he heard Impa sigh before the door closed.

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

While Impa and Zelda were discussing damage control, Link decided to further test his sense of smell. As he began scouring the hallways he started picking up all sorts of scents intermingled with each other. Not all of them pleasant.

He scuttled across the floor, nose down as he swept across the carpet like a tiny broom, but he was careful to dart into an alcove or curl up in a corner when he heard - and felt - footsteps approach. Sniffing his way through various hallways eventually led him to the service levels, guided by the complex aroma of cooking. 

He poked his head around the door frame of the kitchens to look inside, where the staff were milling about the room, carrying tubs of ingredients one way and hauling off finished products another. A table full of freshly baked apple pies left unattended caught his attention. Eyes glued to the table, Link managed to put one foot into the room before a tall woman appeared above him; the head chef, commander of the kitchens. Telma.

Link knew from previous experience that while kind, she had no time for people trying to pilfer from her kitchens. She had supplied him with odd bits of food now and then under the guise that he was taste testing, but it was actually because she thought he was too skinny. His fault for wearing a uniform that was slightly too big for him, hanging off of his shoulders and gathering around his slim waist. But those times had been on her terms. 

At the moment, however, Telma looked a let less inviting - and a lot taller - as she scrutinised him suspiciously.

“Uh, huh! Shoo!” She said, grabbing a mop from behind the door and nudging Link back out of the room with it, “there’s nothing on the floor for you, out you get.”

Once Link got over his surprise, he scampered out of the way but remained within sight of the Kitchen door. The chef paused, eyeing this tiny lizard creature who wasn’t running away from her or the mop and Link couldn’t help but feel like laughing. She thought he was a pest looking for leftovers.

 _Well, she’s not entirely wrong,_ Link thought to himself, as he continued to watch Telma. 

“Brave little thing, aren’t you?” She murmured, looking back over her shoulder into the kitchens before putting her hand into her pocket and pulling out a paper bag. From within the bag she produced a wildberry. “Here you go.”

She flicked the berry towards him and he waited as it bounced across the floor before rolling to a stop at his feet. It was as big as his head. He held the berry between his front feet and munched his way through it. The juice was probably staining his jaw and making a mess all over the carpet but he’d been missing the taste of food again. Licking his mouth clean and wiping his claws against the floor, he saw that Telma had returned to the kitchen and the door was now closed. He felt bad that he had no way to thank her, but then again stray lizards probably did not thank people for feeding them. 

_I’ll have to thank her once I change back,_ he decided, refusing to even entertain the idea that he might not be changing back. He couldn’t afford that sort of negativity right now.

The repeated discovery that he did not experience hunger occupied his thoughts instead as he continued to meander through the Castle hallways. He was still having to duck out of the way to avoid being seen, or stepped on, but he was slowly acclimatising to his new body. Probably faster than what would be considered normal. Still, his apparent lack of hunger was less troubling and more baffling. Did this mean he did not need to eat? That his new dragon body was powered by something other than food? 

The thought of not eating while he was a dragon actually made Link a little upset; he liked eating and tasting new things. The wildberry had been edible, so clearly he _could_ eat, but perhaps it was unnecessary.

Growing tired of constantly dodging people who did not look where they were going, Link decided to assess his body strength. If he was to continue travelling with the Princess he would need to know his limitations and improve with training.

_Somehow I don’t think push ups will work anymore._

Finding a patch of wall that had an unlit candle bracket several feet above him, he started to fit his claws into the brick mortar and pulled himself up. After scaling three feet, Link came to the conclusion that the act of climbing was a lot easier in this form. His claws sunk into the grout easily and his quadruped body was able to hug the wall as he ascended, aided by his small size and low weight. He ended up sitting snugly in the torch bracket, looking down as people walked through the corridors. 

Only a short amount of time had passed before Link realised just how many people were willing to talk freely when they thought they were alone. So far, he’d overheard at least two council members openly discussing how they were charging more trade tax than was necessary; pocketing some of the excess for themselves, of course. A group of maids swapping stories about things they had found in people’s personal quarters; Link was happy to hear absolutely nothing said about his room. There had been several guards bitching about a change in their training regime. Plus, a rumour that a Captain of the Castle guard was having an affair with the head of the kitchens.

After hearing a description of the man in question, Link had snorted and the noise had almost blown his cover. The Captain the gossipers were talking about was the same one who had shown Link how to get to the kitchens when he first moved into the Castle. Link knew for a fact that the man was gay and that the only reason he was trying to charm the kitchen staff, particularly Telma, was because he was attempting to increase his coffee rations. The guy had a chronic dependency on the stuff.

His day continued to pass in a similar fashion, the orange light of the setting sun passing through the windows cut into the far wall cast harsh blocks of colour across the floor. Unbeknownst to him, as the light level dimmed the creases between his scales began to emit their own light. Subtle as candle light but as distinctive as a firefly. 

Thank fully, nobody seemed to look up when they were travelling down hallways. 

Unless they were Sheikah.

“There you are. Thought I’d have to continue searching into the night.”

Link picked his head up from where he had started resting it on the arms of the torch bracket. Standing below him was Impa, a rueful smile set in place. 

“Thought it was odd that there was only one lit torch in this entire corridor.”

At first, Link didn’t quite catch her meaning but something of his confusion must have shown in his face as she gestured to his body with a finger. Looking down at himself he saw that he was glowing. A bit like Farosh had, only much less bright.

“Interesting. I’m sure the Princess will be itching to find out why,” Impa mused, holding a hand up for Link to jump onto, which he did. “I must warn you, the Princess has a keen mind and an insatiable thirst for new discoveries and you might well be about to find yourself as her new point of interest. I only ask that you try to be patient with her. It’s been a long time since her father let her join my research team in the lab, so any chance she gets where research is brought to her…”

Impa left her words hanging but she knew Link would understand what she meant. He was a smart boy, just not too fond of other people knowing that for some reason.

They travelled through the corridor and up several flights of stairs until they reached the hallway leading to the Princess’ bedroom. Impa came to a stop in front of the wooden door but she didn’t knock immediately.

“I have discussed her new chaperones with her. Two Sheikah guards will be tailing you two whenever the Princess is out of the Castle but they won’t get in your way unless it’s necessary. The Princess has promised me that she will not make any spontaneous trips without first alerting either myself or the two of them. Their names are Melo and Radi; brother and sister so they’ve been working together for years and are very dependable. Any questions?”

When no response was forthcoming, Impa looked down at her hand to see Link blinking at her. He opened his mouth and then closed it again.

“Oh, right. A nod or a head shake will do. Does this meet your approval?”

Honestly, it didn’t. He had not met either of these two people before, so he had no personal opinion of them. There wasn’t chance for him to gauge their abilities or test their skills before he expressed his approval either. There simply wasn’t time and even if he didn’t approve he highly doubted it would make any difference. He sighed, blowing air out of his nose but nodded all the same.

Impa’s eyes softened, “I am sorry, Link. I’m sorry that you are now in this position and I can only hope you will find a way to make the most of it.”

With that, she faced the door and knocked.

“Who is it?” Called the Princess from beyond the door.

“Impa again, your Highness.”

There was the sound of something scraping across the floor, most likely a chair, and then footsteps approaching. Link quickly let his face go blank – which wasn’t difficult – before the door opened and the Princess surveyed them.

“Ah, you found him then - he’s glowing again,” she said, squinting at the dragon in Impa’s hand.

“I found him impersonating a torch bracket,” Impa said with a straight face but Link could detect the humour in her voice. “Link here didn’t seem to realise he was doing it, I suspect it’s involuntary. But he will at least be easy to find in the dark.”

Zelda pursed her lips as she contemplated him, trying not to look directly into those bright blues of his and instead taking note of the bioluminescence along his whole body.

“Thank you, Impa, I’ll take him from here as we discussed.”

There was a brief moment where she thought about picking him up from Impa’s hold, but she thought better of it and offered out her own hand. Once Link jumped over to her, Impa took leave of them and strode back down the hallway. Likewise, Zelda turned and retreated back into her own room.

It was the second time today that Link had been brought inside only this time he was able to adequately appreciate the place.

An entire wall was covered in book shelves, carrying tomes of various sizes, colours, and titles. Some weren’t even in recognisable Hylian. There was a sofa and chairs set in the middle of the room on top of a plush rug, and along the same wall as the door was a lit fireplace and above that hung a large mirror. It was surprising how all of the activity in the room seemed to be concentrated into one corner, the corner Link was being carried to.

A long desk and a chair stood under a window along the wall opposite the door. The desk was covered in open rolls of parchment, bearing various diagrams and schematics, and worn down candles that were dripping wax onto the polished wood. Unruly piles of books collected at the back of the desk space and there was an assortment of tea cups accumulating to one side.

Amid the chaos, Link was put down onto the table and the Princess began shoving the books further away and rolling up the diagrams to put them away in a basket on the floor. While she made ample space for whatever it was she was planning, Link continued to assess the layout of the room.

He was now situated next to a spiralling staircase that lead up to the walkway above her room that linked her study to the main part of the Castle. Link had stood guard up there a couple of times since his appointment, but usually he stood outside her bedroom door in the evenings. He had never had such an un-obscured view of her personal quarters before and he doubted any of the other guards had either. His eyes skimmed over the four poster bed as that wasn’t any of his business but found that there wasn’t really anything else of note to commit to memory in this room. Just a beside table, a partition screen and a plain chest of drawers. For all it’s size, it did not seem to contain much.

Except for the corner he was in.

The Princess was dusting her hands off as she sat down on the chair and retrieved a tape measure from a drawer to her right as well as a small notebook. It wasn’t until she had the items in her hands and really took in the sight of Link standing right in front of her, in all his gold and scaly glory, that she was brought to a halt.

The sudden loss of momentum was enough to be jarring for Link too.

He looked from the measuring tape in her hand, to her face and then back again before her intent became clear. Impa had said he was going to be her next source of interest and it looked like the Princess wanted to make a record of his new form. If he were honest, he was also curious and he would rather think of his situation favourably then get stuck in the negatives.

It would be a distraction for them both.

Turning his head back towards himself, he eyed up his wings, shuffling them a little before extending one out voluntarily. It was a slow and shaky progress as he had not previously put much thought into moving his wings, which were a completely new set of appendages. At least his tail had just been an extension of his spine and felt somewhat familiar – perhaps an ancient, instinctual memory. But wings were entirely different.

Still, he managed to extend one of his small wings to the side, until it couldn’t stretch anymore, and he looked back up at the Princess. She seemed surprised.

“You don’t mind?” She asked, voice small with indecision.

She’d hesitated. He hadn’t expected her to hesitate. Link shook his head and offered his wing again.

In an instant, the Princess was flipping her notebook open and holding the tape up against him, all hesitation gone. Measurements were taken from his shoulder blade to each joint of his wing, and then the full wing span. She took note of a tiny claw at the apex of his wing joint, which was news to him, before moving on to their shape and size. They may not have been vary large for his body and would certainly not take his weight should he attempt to fly with them, but they looked pretty all the same.

The membrane started out in a deep purple, like the scales running along his back, before they faded into bright blue. The shape of them also seemed familiar but at this moment Link could not place it and instead he focused on adjusting his wing when the Princess needed him to. A word here or gesture there, he found that following these orders gave him peace.

 _But why? Why does following orders bring me comfort?_ Link thought, dissociating a little as the Princess moved him about on her desk. Orders gave him purpose and direction, it meant he had something to do which would occupy his mind. Being active meant he was moving forward, but maybe it was also an excuse for him to avoid thinking of other things. Things he would rather not dwell on. 

_Ever since I found the Master Sword my path seemed obvious and I had no complaints. Not really. But courage is not the absence of fear, it is the ability to move forward despite them._

He was simply ignoring that which might spark fear. Farosh had seen right through him after all.

These new thoughts were troubling and Link’s head had started to droop a little as if the weight of them were pushing him down.

“Are you tired?” The Princess asked, pausing as she held a sliding gauge up to one of his spines.

He shook his head and straightened his posture, looking straight ahead as he blocked out the thoughts of doubt. He didn’t have time for them. Then the thoughts of Farosh reminded him that he still had not told the Princess about the dragon’s appearance. But how to communicate that to her…

_That Slate!_

Fidgeting again, he turned his head round to look up at her. Her eyes flickered over to him once and then again when she processed that he had actually been looking at her. 

“What?” She asked, obviously a little taken a back.

Link did his best to mime typing something on a screen, that or it looked like he was playing an invisible drum. The Princess’ eyes squinted a little and she found herself repeating the motions with her own fingers before recognition bloomed.

“You want the Slate, to say something?”

The idea that Link actually had something to say, entirely unprompted, was such a bizarre twist of events that Zelda couldn’t keep the incredulity out of her voice. It was probably a little insulting but Link didn’t seem to care, just nodded in response. 

Blinking once, Zelda reached down to open another drawer and took out the Slate, shaking it once to activate the screen, and then placed it down in between them. Swiping through various functions she opened up the screen she had used to let Link type previously. Pushing it an inch forward, she sat back to watch him tap away at the device.

It took about a minute for his short arms to reach all the symbols and connect them together to form a coherent sentence – complete with punctuation she might add – but once he was done, he sat back on his hips and gave her a single resolute nod. 

[ _The night I transformed I saw the Dragon of Thunder, Farosh. He watched me and then brought lightning down to strike me. I woke up and I was like this_ ]

“You saw- Farosh!” The Princess spluttered, fingers gripping the edge of her desk hard.

Clearly, whatever she had expected Link to type it wasn’t that. He could only nod again in response. She sat there, staring into space for a while before snatching up her pen again and turning to a new page in her notebook.

After a few minutes of hectic note taking, the Princess stopped and Link waited a beat to see if she would continue or ask him a question. When she did neither, he returned to standing on all four legs and the movement caused her attention to shift. Her eye alighted on the space just above his shoulders and she started to squint. Again, the itch he felt when being stared at returned and he stilled his claws as they began to scratch at the surface of her desk.

She frowned.

“Link, can you sit with your back facing me and extend both wings please?”

The ‘please’ was new, as she had previously been giving him one word commands like ‘up’, or ‘turn’, or ‘stay’. Regardless, he did as requested, flaring both wings out to the side with a flourish; the muscles he needed to do so were easier to locate after all this practice and he felt a little proud of himself.

The Princess remained silent as she got up from her desk, and walked to the other side of her room. Craning his neck back around to see what she was doing, Link watched as she took a book down from it’s shelf and then returned to her chair. Skimming through the pages, she found the one she wanted and she held up the open book next to him. Unfortunately, from his position he couldn’t see what was on the page but as she looked from the page to his back several times her eyebrows started to rise and her mouth opened.

“It can’t be,” she breathed.

She probably had not intended for Link to hear but he did. Curiosity was searing within him and he wanted to see what was on the page, or what was so surprising about it in comparison to him. Perhaps it was a book on dragons? Did she know what species he was, maybe there was a list of specific types?

Whatever discovery she had made, she did not deign to share it with him, much to his disappointment. The book was placed in the drawer she had retrieved her notebook from, away from his eyes, and she returned to her notes.

As she gathered them up, Link couldn’t help but think that perhaps she seemed a little less tense than before.

Zelda’s mind was reeling from her discovery but she would have to shelve it for a later time. She needed time to process her suspicions first before proposing it out loud. If it was true it would certainly reduce some of her stress and it might even help Link a little. It was late, after examining Link for longer than she had intended to, but having a living breathing dragon in front of her was just too tempting. 

She was exceedingly thankful that her knight had been so accommodating as she’d expected him to be much more fussy with being prodded and scrutinised. But he had been the one to volunteer after he saw her intentions. She hadn’t had to order him at all, which was a relief.

It made her feel a little better about what she was about to suggest.

“You know I had thought of taking you back to your room. I found your key when I was emptying my things out of our bags but you wouldn’t be able to use it, and I can’t ask someone to open your room everyday for you as you’re not supposed to even be here. You’re in Kakariko village right now,” Zelda explained, drifting again as she spoke her thoughts out loud about a mile a minute. “Then I considered setting you up in my study but it’s probably best if I try to keep you as close as possible. I don’t need you wandering off and as ‘Farore’s Guide’ you would be expected to be at my side at all times.”

 _Plus, I don’t want him snooping around my research. There’s a lot in there my father doesn’t know about,_ Zelda thought to herself, but her explanation sounded logical and reasonable so there shouldn’t be a problem. 

She would be able to keep an eye on him and continue her observations for her notes without him having to be actively involved. Her room was big enough that she could stash him somewhere and he wouldn’t impact on her at all. Of course, the idea of having a _boy_ in her room was tenuous ground as it was but really, what could he do in this form? He had already proven he wasn’t one for sneaking a look and given how little attention he’d paid her previously she doubted he was interested anyway.

_I could have fit his entire body in my pocket and now I’m worried he might be a pervert? I’m the one whose been far more intrusive on his person this evening._

Deciding to just let go of those concerns before they became a never ending cycle, she started looking around her room for a place for Link to sleep. If he decided to sleep. She wondered if there was a way to convince him to not spend the entire night perched in her windowsill. 

She grabbed a throw pillow from her bed and set it on the floor, paused, and then moved it to a chair. Looking from Link to the chair she realised he wouldn’t be able to reach it very easily and snatched the pillow up again.

Finally, she opened the cupboard doors at the bottom of her bedside table and removed the books she had stashed within before shoving the pillow in their place. Pulling the table a little ways away from her bed she dragged a partition screen over to wrap around one side of it. Leaving the cupboard door open she gestured at it with a sweep of her hand.

"You can go here for now."

Link had not been expecting to stay here, in her room, and was rightfully a little hesitant to move forward but the Princess waved for him again and so he clambered down from her desk. 

It was actually quite cosy inside the cupboard and the pillow was ridiculously squishy. He hunkered down in place and saw the Princess nod approvingly before walking back behind the partition to get ready for bed herself. The sudden loss of her presence brought on a bout of loneliness he wasn’t accustomed to and the cupboard began to feel very empty, rather than snug. 

There was the tell tale movement of fabrics and then the rush of bed sheets being moved aside as the Princess got into bed. The candles within the room had all been extinguished and the final lamp illuminating the room was promptly snuffed out.

All at once, the distractions of the day and his duties as the Princess’ knight fell away, leaving him open and vulnerable to the thoughts that were usually kept at bay. He missed his room. Missed his daily routine and belongings he recognised. 

He was the Hero of Hyrule and all of a sudden he desperately wanted his mother.

Link shoved his face into the pillow in a huff, willing himself to sleep before down-time thoughts could invade any further.

Now that it was truly night, with the light from the arcing moon hidden behind curtains, Zelda’s eyes were starting to adjust to the darkness of her room. At first, she could see nothing whether her eyes were open or not and she rolled over in her bed to get comfortable. But once she had turned to face the corner of the room that contained Link’s new sleeping space, she saw that the partition screen separating them was slightly illuminated.

 _He’s still glowing_ , she realised.

It wasn’t particularly bothersome and she actually found herself rather comforted by the dim light. She wasn’t alone in the dark.

Carefully pulling back her duvet, she swept her legs out over the side of her bed and tip toed over to the screen. She peered around the edge, trying not to be spotted but what she saw in the cupboard caused her heart to freeze.

Her knight was tightly curled up, tail wrapped firmly around his body, and he was shaking. Zelda did not need to guess why. 

So much had happened over the past two days, so much had changed, and perhaps it was only now that he was in a position to truly reflect upon all of that. In a strange room, with someone who had treated him more favourably as a research subject than as her appointed knight. Missing all the things he was used to. He couldn’t talk about it even if he thought there was someone to listen.

The feeling was rather familiar, but at least Zelda had the chance to talk about her feelings with Impa and Urbosa, whenever they weren’t busy, and to the Sheikah scientists, Purah and Robbie.

But hard, cold reality was seeping back in, as it always did during the late hours of the night and she didn’t know what to do. Unused to seeing such emotion from her chaperone. He seemed so … human.

Had she passed judgement on him too early? Clearly, he was thinking and feeling. Feeling a lot. Then again, even the most stoic of individuals would baulk at such a turn of events, after such a traumatic experience. Her father was right, despite how Link handled himself, this transformation was traumatic - having everything he was taken away from him in an instant. And just like that she had an answer to the question she had posed to him earlier that day. 

'You chose to remain as my knight… I want to ask you, why?' 

_Because he needs something to stay the same. To retain some sense of normalcy, that’s why he stayed,_ Zelda realised. 

As she continued to watch, his shakes slowly dying down to be replaced by the steady rise and fall of his small rib cage, she couldn’t help but wonder about the longer term consequences. 

If he never changed back he would be unable to join his family properly again. He could not speak to them, hold them, kiss them. Not to mention dragons led very long lives, if he never changed back he could very well outlive everyone he knew.

At least he would still have Mipha for a time. _Mipha!_

 _The Champions! I need to bring them here as soon as possible,_ Zelda realised. She crept back into her bed and hastily scrawled a note for herself to deal with first thing in the morning. 

The Champions would need to be informed of this new development, it had changed their entire plan, and Impa had already suggested reaching out to Urbosa to help with Link’s new electrical ability. Letters would be written when Zelda woke again the following day and when her Champions arrived at the Castle she would share with them her suspicions from this evening’s inspection of Link.

Now that Zelda thought about it, Mipha might be able to shed some insight about her knight as they seemed to know each other quite well. In return, he would then have someone to comfort him. Goddess knows, she wasn’t in a position to do that.

_For now we will stay as we are. Princess and her appointed knight. It’s what we’re both used to._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, what’s that, Zelda? Is that an epiphany I see? Life comes at you fast, especially with the embodiment of darkness nipping at your heels.
> 
> Pity the Destined Duo are very emotionally challenged. They'll get better...  
> (I'm currently writing about 4 chapters a head just to make sure I have plenty of buffer while I do other work)


	5. New Plan

The morning following their return from the Spring of Courage, saw Zelda writing each of her Champions a letter, requesting their attendance at the Castle for an emergency meeting. Due to the sheer distance Urbosa had to cover on horseback from the desert it always took multiple days to have the Champions assembled at the Castle. Thankfully, all of them had the habit of planning their journeys to coincide with the arrival of the others. For instance, Revali could make the trip in less then a day but he always put off travel till the last possible moment so that he could arrive with his characteristic ‘dramatic flair’. 

With that sorted, Zelda turned her thoughts to Link’s family, poised to write yet another letter. After considering the issue for half a morning, tucked away in the library – Link had been hiding in one of the bookshelves – she decided in the end not to let them know. The news that their son was safe, simply training with the Sheikah in Kakariko village was more reassuring then the truth. Zelda didn’t want to have to be the bearer of yet more bad news to someone.

As such, Zelda’s interactions with Link were strained at best, but for once not out of hostility or irritation. She just did not know what to do with him. Following his first night spent in her room, Zelda now had to reorganise some of her assumptions about her knight and re-categorise her opinion of him. He still wasn’t being particularly forthcoming with information – or personality - but that issue was hindered by the fact that he was now unable to speak at all and constantly using the Slate made conversations rather stilted. 

Deciding to keep to her self-proclaimed agreement, she continued to act as if nothing had changed. He was still her knight and she his Princess. While she remained within the Castle, Link was free to roam about as he pleased but he was to check-in with her at midday and sundown. Perfectly standard procedure.

At first, she had wondered what he would do during those hours away from her, while still technically on duty. Training would have been her first guess, but with no sword - or hands that could wield such a weapon – that activity seemed unlikely. Other knights in the Royal Guard, who did not have charges assigned to them, stood watch at various places all over the castle or patrolled the corridors, so that was what she assumed he would do.

It wasn’t until a day had passed feeling like she was being watched that she decided to try and catch her mystery pursuer. Spinning around quickly in the middle of a deserted hallway revealed her knight halfway up a wall several feet behind her. He’d frozen, mid-climb, under her gaze but had not backed down or looked away. Short of plucking him from the wall and throwing him out of a nearby window she knew he would not be deterred. So, in the end, she hadn’t bothered to try; raising her eyes to the ceiling instead before turning back around to continue with what she was doing.

The rumour of the Princess now being aided by an Envoy of Farore had travelled extraordinarily fast. During the days Zelda waited for the Champions to arrive, she heard snippets of conversation in the halls as guards, maids, and nobles alike spoke of their sightings of the elusive Golden Dragon.

“Tiny little thing it is but ever so shiny. Such a thing can’t be natural.”

“Saw it sitting on a statue by the entrance-way to the Great Hall. Wonder if it’s judging us…”

“Always never far from the Princess, y’know. You don’t see her interact with it though…”

“It was glowing I tell ya’, actually glowing, just like a firefly!”

There had been news of Link’s disappearance too, his ‘training’ with the Sheikah. Overhearing the Castle folks thoughts on _that_ had been less heartening. Some of the soldiers had expressed disappointment that he had been shipped off so quickly without being able to wish him luck, while others vowed to check in on his folks in his absence. Then there was praise from the general populace, for the young man taking such extra measures to ensure he did his job well, mixed in with notes of pity that he had to undertake such a task in the first place. All because the Princess couldn’t stand him.

In a fit of childish rebellion – she was willing to admit that – Zelda had unlocked Link’s room and told him to pick out items he wanted to populate his new sleeping area with. She had wanted to prove those naysayers wrong, and she was trying, but ultimately her actions were probably doing more to prove them right than anything else. 

However, Link was unaware of the reasons for the Princess’ sudden consideration for his comfort and appreciated the gesture for what it could mean in their working relationship. Still, he was cautious as he moved into his room in case she changed her mind.

Stepping into his room had brought him more calm than he had expected. Seeing all of his possessions exactly where he had left them, few as they were, was reassuring and he'd started mentally compiling a list of things that he wanted to take. One would have probably expected him to choose small, functional items that he would find useful to have near him in a strange environment but he wanted things that actually held meaning to him. Items that Link the Hylian had treasured.

Bit by bit, he traversed his room. While it was by no means expansive, at his current size just crossing from the door to his bed was time consuming. At some point the Princess had moved into his room and sat down at his desk, watching him with apparent interest, but he was too focused to give her much attention. Zipping across the room from wall to wall, bed to window, Link looked like a grounded hummingbird. Eventually a pile of items sat in a pile of the floor and Link had sat beside them, feeling accomplished.

“All done?” The Princess asked, and after surveying his stash. Link nodded.

Finished with his room, the Princess deposited his collected items onto her own bedroom floor for Link to arrange around his new bed how he pleased. The final additions to his set up were his blue earrings that had fallen from his ears with his transformation and had been buried at the bottom of his belt pouch. It was a meager hoard for a dragon, but it would do for now.

Each night, Link would climb into the bedside table cupboard in her room to sleep, only now it was populated with his accumulated belongings and the Princess had taken to wrapping his Champion’s tunic around the pillow he slept on. It had been another nice gesture that confused Link immensely. Most days, he was convinced that she actively disliked him or was at least just indifferent, but then there were the oddly considerate moments like this.

If she was trying to bribe him for his continued compliance with her research on dragons, she needn’t have bothered. Of course, now that he was sleeping much more easily the Princess kept trying to sneak out of her rooms without him waking up. He had to spend at least an hour after he woke trying to find her, so perhaps he was wise to take her acts of kindness with a pinch of salt. 

It took five days for the Champions to reach the Castle. Five days of the Princess and Hero playing an unintentional game of hide and seek against each other. Impa was beginning to go spare.

On the fifth day since the summons, Zelda waited on the observation balcony where she could overlook the front gates, leg bouncing under her formal dress as she kept an eye out for her Champions. If travel had not been hindered then Urbosa should be arriving soon, along with the rest of the Divine Beast pilots. 

Link was perched on the railing about two feet to her left, completely motionless save for the movement of his eyes as they swept over the area around the gate itself and the occasional curl of his tail.

Both were anxious to have _other_ company after the past week. 

They were also keen to get this meeting over with. Even though neither of them had brought it up, they both felt as if the culmination of this meeting would mean they could finally move on to their usual day to day activities and return to what they were _supposed_ to be doing. Moving towards fighting the Calamity. At the moment, all the hesitation over their new situation felt like being stuck in limbo.

The Princess heaved a sigh as she continued to watch the front gates, unmoving from her position and Link had to turn his hearing further of field lest he unintentionally copied her. The general din of Castle Town was apparently not enough to block out every minute swish of fabric as the Princess fidgeted now and again. 

The sun was barely at the apex of it’s journey across the sky but if someone didn’t turn up soon Link was going to scream.

A distant rumbling cut through the chatter of Castle Town and Daruk came rolling through the open gates. He didn’t stop upon passing the threshold but continued on straight past them along the road. The letter had asked that all the Champions convene at the gazebo where they’d had their picture taken with the Sheikah Slate and that the Princess would meet them there. Zelda continued to look down from the balcony, waiting to see Urbosa arrive with her own eyes. 

She didn’t have long to wait as ten minutes later Urbosa came charging in atop her black horse, bearing its customary brightly woven saddle gear, and above her swooped a dark blue Rito; Revali.

“Come on, Princess Mipha will no doubt meet us there via the waterfalls,” the Princess said and she opened up a satchel bag she had brought with her, offering it towards Link. The unspoken message was clear.

Get in.

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

As Zelda approached the gazebo she could see her Champions conversing together, and was relieved to spot the small red form of Princess Mipha. The Zora was usually one of the first to arrive, given her proximity and convenient means of travel. She was looking up at Daruk and listening politely as he aired his concerns over controlling Vah Rudania, who was still refusing to obey half his commands. Urbosa and Revali were discussing the increased daring of several monster packs that kept encroaching on their territories. The Rito gesticulated wildly while Urbosa stood calmly in her self-assured stance, her expression thoughtful. At the sight of the Hylian Princess coming towards them, their conversations died down and all the Champions turned to greet her with a half bow.

“Ah, Princess Mipha, I'm glad to see you've already arrived. I didn’t see you this morning nor at the gates?” Zelda enquired, none-the-less pleased that they were now all accounted for.

“Apologies, Princess Zelda. I used the waterfall on the east side as I was running late. I would have made it here sooner but I had some business to attend to with our council and my father before I left,” Mipha explained. The Zora’s posture was loose and she held her trident in a lax grip to one side but with a concerned gesture from Zelda, Mipha went on to clarify, “it’s nothing serious, I assure you. Just … general bureaucratic demands. You know how it is.”

Zelda let out another sigh.

“Yeah. I do,” then remembering where she was, and who else was with her, she cleared her throat. “Thank you all for coming at such short notice and so soon after the Champion’s Ceremony, I do appreciate it.”

“Of course. We are your Champions and any new development must be responded to as quickly as we can manage,” Urbosa said, “but we are still waiting for your knight, are we not? I don’t see him with you.”

Revali scoffed and Urbosa raised an eyebrow at him.

“Something to say, Archer?”

The Rito flapped a wing irritably, “what? The precious Hero couldn’t even be bothered to show up, furthermore isn’t he supposed to be accompanying the Princess everywhere? My condolences by the way.”

“Revali, that isn’t helping,” Mipha said, sounding tired.

“Well then, where is he?” He squawked, clearly incensed that he was apparently being ‘snubbed’ by the Champion of Hyrule.

“I was getting to that,” Zelda explained, trying to keep the bite out of her voice. Something she was perhaps not successful at as she saw Urbosa bite her lip in an effort to stifle her amusement. “As I explained in my letter, something occurred during my trip to the Spring of Courage. Something that affected Link, specifically.”

“Shocker,” Revali grumbled.

“It’s not funny, Revali,” Zelda shot back and he actually looked taken a back for once.

Instead of answering verbally, Zelda held her satchel bag up and put her hand inside. The pinpricks of tiny claws grabbing hold of her hand and the slide of smooth scales over the backs of her knuckles told her that Link had climbed on. Revealing the bizarre looking lizard clinging onto her garnered more than one pair of raised eyebrows. Without a word, she walked over to the gazebo railing and lowered her hand down to let Link jump across. 

The Champions stared. In hindsight, Zelda thought she probably should have provided a bit more context before showing them all a tiny dragon. Not a word was spoken as Link looked up at them all from the railing, bright blue eyes fixed on each of them in turn. It was a rather intense gaze given he was such a small thing.

“Nice pet,” Revali commented before Zelda worked up the nerve to attempt an explanation and Urbosa flicked his head feathers for the attitude.

While the Rito and Gerudo Champions devolved into their usual back and forth banter, Zelda had her attention diverted towards Mipha who had approached Link – unbeknownst to the Zora – and was now crouched down to his eye level to have a closer look. 

“Curious little one, aren’t you?” She smiled kindly, pleased that this creature hadn’t run away from her.

“Oh, is this the lil’ guide I’ve been hearin’ all about?” Daruk said, scratching his beard as he looked down at Link, “from what I hear he was sent to ya’ by one of yer Goddesses.”

Now that he was out in the open, Link felt very exposed under the eyes of his fellow Champions. In particular, being scrutinised by Mipha was making him very self conscious. 

He looked back into her golden eyes, willing her to somehow recognise that it was him but how could she? Even he did not recognise himself in this form. Yet, some foolish part of him had still hoped that she would see beyond that, see _him_. He saw her brow crease a little, smile still set in place, as she focused on a spot just above his clavicle and then looked directly into his eyes. She ran his velveteen ears over the tips of her fingers, eyes flicking back down to his neck every so often as if she were trying to work out the answer to a riddle.

Then, her smile dropped and she turned back to Zelda.

“We're not waiting for Link. He’s been here the whole time, hasn’t he?”

 _Oh, she knows,_ Zelda realised and she wondered if the Zora Princess had some sort of empathetic power she wasn’t aware of. _Is that why she was able to master Vah Ruta so quickly?_

“Yes, he has,” Zelda answered, pointedly.

“Oh,” Mipha said, sounding lost, “I was really hoping those rumours about Link being in Kakariko Village were true.”

“I’m sorry.”

“He’s _where_ now?” Revali interjected.

“Uhh, listen,” Daruk interjected, his giant hands grounding together self consciously. “I’m a simple Goron and I don’t get most o’ this Calamity business or the prophecy and what have you but I heard the the Lil Guy was with the Sheikah too. So … what’s going on?” 

Both Hylian and Zora Princesses continued to maintain eye contact for a moment longer before Mipha looked away and focused back on Link, who was thrilled that his closest friend had worked out who he was. If he glowed a little brighter under the midday sun no-one seemed to notice.

It therefore fell to Zelda to clarify the situation.

“That creature is a dragon, Daruk, a being thought to be entirely extinct and retained only in myth. This particular dragon is … the Champion Link… as hard as that is to believe, but it's true. Has been since we went to the Spring of Courage.”

There was a brief pause before a chittering laughter burst from Revali’s beak and he waved a wing over his face as if the situation was just ‘too much’.

“Oh come on, good joke, but where is he really? Let me guess, skiving in the training yard? Or perhaps as our Zora companion here spoke of, Kakariko?” He said, but when no-one contradicted him the bravado melted away and his wings hung loosely at his sides as he stared at the dragon. “What the fuck?!”

“I think what Revali means is that this situation is a little difficult to process. I, for one, am also struggling,” Urbosa admitted.

Zelda nodded at them in agreement, “I can sympathise with that, truly I can. It’s been a long week and it’s still settling in but I assure you, this here is Link. But what I want to know is,” she turned to Mipha again, “how did you know?”

The Zora Champion was now holding Link in her cupped hand as she ran a finger down the centre of his back. The more times she did it the flatter Link became in her palm as he lay down in her hold, completely relaxed. Taking advantage of his relative anonymity in this moment. She’d often had him fall asleep in her lap by doing the very same when he was Hylian. No doubt about it, the world could change his appearance and his form entirely, but it couldn’t change who he was or his mannerisms.

“When Link and I were children, we took spear wielding lessons from Sergeant Seggin. Link had never used a spear before,” she recounted and Link perked up at the mention of their childhood days. “One day, I was a little… over eager shall we say? I nicked him, just a bit, on his collar bone, here see?”

She indicated a patch of scales that were bent out of shape and did not follow the same flow pattern as those around them. Link tried to look down at the space she indicated but despite his longer neck it would not bend down quite that far and he couldn’t see it. He did look a bit ridiculous attempting to though.

“I had yet to master my powers and could only close the cut, not heal it completely. It left a scar. At first, I thought it was just a coincidental mark but he bears other such scars that coincide with injuries I remember healing myself. His eyes are the same colour and even his ears remind me of the way his hair would fall around his face, you see?” She held him aloft so that the others could see what she meant with a bright smile on her face. 

If they squinted they could actually see what she saw; the long, floppy ears at the sides of his head almost seemed to mirror the way his long sideburns had hung down around his jaw line. Even so, Urbosa was trying very hard not to smirk at this turn of events. Not just anyone would notice these tiny little details about Link.

“Plus,” and here Mipha hesitated before mumbling, “he still smells of lavender.” 

While Urbosa now started to smirk openly as she side-eyed the poor Zora Princess, Zelda vaguely recalled noting the scent of lavender coming from the dragon when she had first held him at the Spring. 

_He smelt of lavender before he was a dragon?_

She knew Hylians often had a specific scent about them, as individual as a fingerprint, but for some reason the image of her knight and the knowledge that he smelt of _lavender_ just did not mesh together in her mind.

 _Then again_ , Zelda thought, watching Mipha cradle Link protectively as Revali got right up in his face, _I’ve never had cause to get that close to Link to find that out. Not like Mipha._

“Hate to be blunt,” Urbosa interrupted, “but moving this conversation along, this means that the Hero of Hyrule has been turned into a dragon. Correct? One of the most powerful and fiercest creatures in this world.”

They all took this moment to focus on Link again, who was beginning to worm his way out of Mipha’s hold on him. His head poked out from between her webbed fingers, mindful of his horn, and he blinked nonplussed when he spotted them all staring at him. 

“Yeah, really inspiring us with that one,” Revali scoffed.

“My point is, this could work to our advantage. No offence, but Hylians are known to be fairly squishy, Link being one of the hardier ones,” Urbosa continued, coming forward to tip Link’s head back with a fingertip under his jaw. His posture went stiff.

“But the Lil' Guy’s now even smaller. I’m worried about even touchin’ him,” Daruk admitted.

It was true, so far out of all the Champions, Daruk had been keeping at least an arms length away from Link as if his proximity might cause the Hylian Champion harm. But he did have a point.

“Daruk’s right, Urbosa. While Link does have some new abilities, his physical integrity has likely been reduced. His small size will mean any damage done to him will be amplified,” Zelda said, once again recalling the necessity of the Gerudo Champion’s presence.

She saw the taller woman smile, mouthing the words ‘physical integrity’, but it was Daruk that picked up on the first half of her sentence.

“What new abilities?”

“Well, when I returned from the Spring and called a council with my father, General Tapidor, and Impa, Link produced sparks. The General had suggested removing Link as my appointed knight and when the man went to touch Link he got shocked.”

“He’s still your knight?” Revali asked incredulously, but his words went unnoticed as Urbosa spoke sharply to Mipha, her finger still underneath Link’s jaw.

“Mipha, you need to be careful with him. If he can produce an electric charge that hasn’t been trained he might accidentally shock you. You’re more susceptible to electrical damage, even a tiny bit could still seriously hurt you.”

At this, the Zora Princess looked conflicted but she willingly opened her hands to allow Link to distance himself from her. There was a moment of indecision as he clearly contemplated leaping onto Urbosa’s hand but thought better of it and returned to the gazebo railing.

Even though he had only caused sparks once, he couldn’t risk something startling him while he was in direct contact with her. Urbosa’s advice was perfectly sound, but it still hurt. Being in Mipha’s presence had made him feel better, just as he thought it would, but it seemed that he would have to make do with no physical contact for now. Mipha herself looked crestfallen.

But there was a glimmer of hope.

“Urbosa, Impa suggested that I ask you to help Link control this new ability. If he can wield it like you can then it shouldn’t be an issue for Mipha anymore, correct?” The Princess asked.

Link turned hopeful eyes onto the Gerudo Champion and she considered the request for about a minute before an accepting smile took over her face.

“I think that’s well within my capabilities. Speaking of teaching,” she continued, angling her body towards Revali ever so slightly, “a true dragon knows how to fly.”

The head feathers of the Rito Champion flicked up at that remark, but flattened again almost immediately as he turned away. 

“No,” he said.

Tension began to rise in the ensuing silence as the remaining Champions looked from Urbosa to Revali, another argument seemingly imminent. It was clear what Urbosa had been about to imply but she had always hated Revali’s arrogance and enjoyed humbling him now and again.

“I didn’t even ask you anything.”

The Rito huffed, offended, “oh please. ‘Teaching’ implying a teacher and flight being mentioned right after. Do not insult my intelligence.”

“Then do not insult mine by thinking that you are the only Rito that I know of. Besides, you are hardly what I would call teacher material.”

An avian eye twitched and Zelda very subtly started inching her way over to Mipha, who likewise had gravitated backwards towards Daruk. Blue feathers puffed up in irritation and Revali’s beak clacked as he battled with himself, before he finally rounded on Link, who had not moved an inch along the banister.

“Show me your wings,” Revali hissed and when Link begrudgingly extended his wings out, the Rito threw his own wings up and swivelled back to face Urbosa. “They’re tiny! He can’t fly with those. What exactly am I supposed to teach him?”

“I’m sure, once upon a time, even you had wings that were not flight worthy and yet here you are. Who taught you?”

“I did!”

“Then you should have no problem helping Link then, yes?” Urbosa beamed and Zelda could have sworn she heard a tiny sound of victory come from the Zora Princess next to her. She was courteous enough not to mention it.

Revali looked as if he had been smacked in the face, both livid and impressed that he had been walked into such an obvious trap. Sucking in a lungful of air, he drew himself up and then released all of his tension at once.

“Fine! But I won’t waste my time until his wings are bigger. A fledglings wings can be damaged if tested too early.”

Link did not warm to the idea of him being compared to a ‘fledging’ but there wasn’t much he could do. If he wanted to learn how to fly then he would need to learn from the best and the best was undeniably Revali. Link didn’t dislike the Rito per se, he just found his standoffish nature and bluster to be incredibly tiresome, so he ignored it mostly. If you removed half of the posturing that Revali did, he was actually very knowledgeable about his craft and Link could respect him for that. 

That and he was a fellow Champion.

“Then we had better hope that this is not as big as Link is going to get,” Urbosa said, a sentiment that was shared by everybody, including Link himself.

Zelda sighed for the third time in recent hours and shared a look with her knight, a completely alien occurrence to their fellow Champions.

“I’m not sure,” she admitted, “it’s only been a week. I haven’t yet had time to look for any other occurrences like this affecting a Hero in the past. We should retire to the Library, I can explain everything that has happened there, maybe one of you will spot something I haven’t yet considered.”

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

The Castle’s library was an expansive collection of literary works from all across the Kingdom. Legends, manuscripts, textbooks, and works of fiction were all copied and stored here from across the ages. Anyone could be granted access to the Castle to come in here and read, but only qualified scholars and artisans could actually borrow books and take them out of the Castle walls.

It was always disheartening to Zelda whenever she walked in to find that only a few other scholars were sat at tables or perusing the shelves. However, on this day, she was grateful as it meant that she and her Champions would be left undisturbed. After some of the waiting staff brought drinks and snacks for their group, they settled in around an empty table.

While Daruk chose to stand – unsure if Hylian carpentry would be able to take his weight - Urbosa sat casually half on and half off the table itself, and Revali, Mipha, and Zelda pulled out chairs to seat themselves. Link had made the trip over to the library by gripping onto Daruk’s bicep and the Goron laughed as he lowered his arm down so Link could jump off onto the table.

“Remind me o’ those fire lizards you do. Always climbin’ over everythin’.”

After getting themselves comfortable, Zelda was able to detail the events that transpired at the Spring of Courage and the meeting she had held with her father, the General, and Impa. Everything from their travel, to the storm, the discovery of 'Link' and the realisation that the Master Sword had disappeared. She omitted the part where she had ranted to the Goddess for a good ten minutes after yet more failed prayers at the Spring. Nobody needed to know about that.

Instead, she placed on emphasis on Link’s theory that this was a test of his spirit from the Goddess Farore. A theory that had even more credence now that she knew his transformation had been exacted through the dragon spirit, Farosh.

“I’ve looked into some texts describing the ancient Zonai culture in more detail, which led me onto descriptions of the Thunder Dragon they worshipped. It’s most certainly the entity we call Farosh and the few sketches from eyewitness accounts I’ve found do seem to bear some similarities to Link’s current form.”

With an open hand, Zelda gestured for Link to walk forward and then lightly pressed her finger against one of his feet, encouraging him to lift it up for her. As he did so, Link’s posture became controlled and taut; a soldier standing to attention. 

“The claws here are more like the talons of a bird, similar to those found from the Dragon of Thunder and the horn here,” she dropped Link’s claws in favour of pointing along his wavy horn with her little finger. “It bears the same patterning as the one depicted on Farosh, only Link’s is much smaller in comparison with his body size and it has a diamond shaped cross-section rather than a flattened, wide triangular one.”

“Interesting,” Urbosa said, bending down to see for herself, impressed that Link did not so much as move a millimetre under all the attention. “Are the differences significant?”

“I believe so. Additionally, I am now fairly confident I know where the Master Sword is,” Zelda explained, feeling both proud and nervous at such a declaration.

“Well, that’s a relief,” Daruk said, miming wiping sweat from his brow with one massive hand, “’cause I tell ya’, that part had me worried for a sec there.”

“I think we all were,” Urbosa agreed, one of her perfectly sculpted eyebrows now nearly in her hairline.

By way of explanation, Zelda once again prompted for Link to move into a specific pose; sat onto his hind legs, back straight and wings flared out.

“You see, Farosh does not have wings of his own, so where do Link’s come from? Look at them and tell me if they seem familiar,” she encouraged.

It only took a couple of minutes of them squinting and cocking their heads from side to side for comprehension to slowly dawn upon each of them.

“Well, I’ll be plucked,” Revali said.

“This sure is quite the development,” Mipha murmured.

Burning to find out what was so groundbreaking, Link dared to look at his back out of the corner of his eyes but whatever they saw, to him it was upside down. His frustration must have shown, in a careless lapse of self control, because Mipha tapped the Princess on the shoulder to ask for the Sheikah Slate and used it to take a picture for him.

“Here, you’ll understand when you see it.”

The image he saw was of his own back, but being able to see his wings the right way up made their appearance unmistakable. The wing shaped cross-guard, that was so characteristic of the Master Sword, had been made flesh upon his back as his own miniature set of wings. 

The three finger like structures that formed the tips of his wings were the same as those that had been part of the hilt and even the gold diamond that had glinted brightly from the centre piece of the cross guard was now directly in between his shoulder blades. Now that Link considered it, even the colouring of his scales had been a clue. The golden colouring was probably due to his blonde hair but the shade of blue across his body definitely came from the swords scabbard and the deeper purple was from the sword hilt itself.

 _Was this what the Princess saw when she first examined me?_ Link wondered, _why did she not say anything sooner?_

Deep down, he knew why but that didn’t make it any easier to swallow. She had not shared her thoughts with him because she did not trust him, assuming he would be dismissive of her theories. Despite trying to make himself as accommodating as possible, she was still not comfortable with sharing her thoughts. Then again, he wasn’t much better. Regardless, the knowledge that the sword was almost certainly still with him was good news and the Princess was not yet done.

“I was also suspicious of how easily Link’s teeth and claws managed to puncture through General Tapidor’s armour without suffering any damage. I imagine that the metal that comprised the blade is now integrated within Link’s fangs and claws, seeing as they also have the same metallic sheen.”

Deciding to just go along with this bizarre show-and-tell, and to keep Zelda in a good mood, Link opened his mouth to show off his pointed teeth. He heard Mipha giggle to the side of him and his eyes darted over to see her grinning, baring her own razor-sharp set.

“Ha! Perhaps Lil' Guy isn’t so fragile after all, I heard that sword is meant to be pretty tough. It’s survived this long,” Daruk boasted, still proud to have Link as a true brother no matter what species he was. It hadn’t mattered before and he had decided it didn’t matter now either. He lowered a rough hand down to the table in front of Link and beamed when his fellow Champion jumped up onto his palm. 

The sight of the massive Goron Champion holding the miniscule _Dragon_ Champion was quite awe inspiring and oddly endearing. It brought a rueful smile to the Princess’ face.

Maybe this wouldn’t be their downfall, maybe Urbosa was right and this could actually work to their advantage. The Calamity certainly would not expect their Hero to turn up in the form of a dragon. They just had to hope that he would actually get bigger and quickly.

“So, how do we proceed from here?” Mipha asked, breaking the companionable silence reluctantly. 

With a fortifying intake of air, Zelda steeled herself as she remembered the conversation she’d had with her Father that morning. After she had told him of her findings, he’d repeated the advice that he always gave her when she was stuck.

"My Father has _requested_ that I travel to the Great Plateau for I am to pray within the Temple of Time and seek guidance," Zelda deadpanned, her tone of voice making it quite clear what she thought of that. “However, he has granted me leave to visit Rito Village and collect an update on Vah Medoh first, before making my way to the Plateau.”

This seemed to rouse the Champions. Business was back to normal and they all had jobs to do, responsibilities that could not be put on hold for one of their team. Not that he seemed to need any help as Link appeared to be getting on quite well in his new body. Remarkably well in fact. 

Another puzzle to solve at a later time. 

“Well, in that case, I should probably be heading off then,” Revali announced, standing up and stretching his wings out to their fullest extent to loosen them up.

While the action seemed innocuous enough, Link was of the opinion that the Rito was attempting to give him wing envy. It wasn’t working. Furthermore, if they were all heading to Rito Village then surely he would simply travel with them when they left.

“No use you going to Rito Village if the Rito Champion isn’t there to receive you, is there?” He continued, a touch mocking if everyone were being honest, but that was just how he was.

 _Oh, but of course,_ Link thought, sardonically, _we would only slow him down._

With a sweeping bow, over the top and fluid as always, the Rito took his leave and exited the library. Urbosa waited a beat before inhaling a lungful of air and muttering under her breath, as if the sight she had just witnessed had pained her on some sort of spiritual level.

“Mother of Din.”

“Urbosa, you can’t tell me you don’t have a flair for the dramatics from time to time. I’ve seen you fight,” Zelda said, arching an eyebrow at the older woman.

She threw her head back and barked a laugh, “yes, my little bird, but I, at least, actually have style about it.”

There was a choking noise and all heads turned towards Mipha who was facing away from them with a hand over her mouth, trying to smother her laughter. She glanced at them quickly before looking away again, waving a hand in front of her weakly.

“Don’t look at me,” she squeaked through her fingers and Zelda felt her heart do a back flip for some unfathomable reason.

“Mipha, you need to stop being so adorable. It’s awful for our work ethic, my dear,” Urbosa said, sweetly, delighted when she managed to make Mipha go pink.

Even Link, who had practically grown up with Mipha, had never seen her go such a colour. He walked to the very edge of Daruk’s palm, leaning out towards her as he tried to angle his head this way and that to see under the hand that still guarded her face. Daruk obliged him by bringing him closer and Mipha had to try and push the Goron’s hand away. 

It was nice, experiencing this back and forth between them all, as if they were actually friends. Link wondered if they would ever truly consider each other friends or if they were simply trying to make the best out of the situation. He hoped that over time strong ties would form between them to create a unified team but he wasn’t sure how much time they had left.

Looking away from Mipha for a split second, a force of habit ingrained to always check his surroundings intermittently, he noticed that the Princess was watching him. Even though he got the impression that she wasn’t actually seeing him, he couldn’t shake the feeling that she seemed sadder than she had a moment before. 

_Does my presence really bring down her mood that much?_ He wondered. It was incredibly discouraging. 

“So, you met Farosh, huh?” Daruk said, bringing Link up to eye level and away from Mipha so the poor girl could recover in peace. “What was he like?”

Unable to verbally answer, as they all well knew by now – not that it made much difference compared to how he was before – Link sat back and drew his front feet as far apart as they would go. ‘This big’.

“Sounds like my kind of guy,” he grinned, eyes crinkling beneath his rocky brow. Then he turned to face the Princess, sobering slightly, “say, when you’re done with Feathers could you come up ta’ Death Mountain? I’m still having trouble with good ol’ Rudania. Blasted thing’s as stubborn as I am, I think.”

Daruk chuckled and the sound vibrated through the library as a deep hum that Link could feel through his feet.

“Of course, Daruk!” Zelda assured, the light coming back to her face as she thought over the prospect of visiting not one but two Divine Beasts back to back. “I’ll come over right after I’m done on the Great Plateau.”

There was the sound of a throat clearing, rather pointedly, and Zelda turned to see Urbosa staring at her. When Zelda did nothing more but stare back, the Gerudo sighed and rolled her head in the direction of Link, still sat upon Daruk’s palm. He cocked his head at her. 

_Oh, right,_ Zelda inwardly grimaced, _Link is still my knight._

“That is to say, we, Link and I, will come to Death Mountain once I have finished with business on the Plateau.”

“Thanks, Tiny Princess,” Daruk grinned, pretending to remain oblivious of the non-verbal communications that had just transpired.

Even though Zelda responded with a carefree ‘no problem’, there was a problem. A small, shiny, scaled problem. While she and her knight may have found a compromise on how to interact within the Castle, it was a different ball game altogether when travelling outside in the wilds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FYI, Link smelling of lavender is actually canon. Link in Triforce Heroes was said to have hair that smelt of lavender, I just took it an extra step and it a HC of mine that all Hylians smell of particular things. Their scent will often reflect their personality and Lavender is very good for anxiety.
> 
> Also yes, I've made the Castle Library the equivalent of the Library of Alexandria... considering their fates.
> 
> Let me know what you guys thought of my characterisations of the Champions. I got to play with them a bit in my previous writing but this is a new setting for them and I'm having fun so far.
> 
> (This had to be reuploaded because ao3 updated this with the wrong timestamp first time around?? Apologies if you left a comment I will not have seen it)


	6. Flying Free

With winter on the way, Zelda only had a few weeks left to travel before it got too cold so she was eager to reach both Rito Village and Goron City within that time frame. Soon after the meeting with the Champions, she set off towards Hebra with Link following close behind and two Sheikah Guards tailing her, unseen, further back. She could have taken a horse but Zelda had felt like using her legs for once and Link couldn’t exactly ride a horse in his new form anyway. There were plenty of stables and outposts dotted along the way due to the harsh weather of the region so there was little risk of being caught out in a snowstorm. Even if it did take longer to travel on foot.

However, on their way through the Breach of Demise, news reached them of a particularly volatile thunderstorm affecting Hyrule Ridge up ahead. The roads had been closed for the safety of all travellers so one of Zelda’s Sheikah Guards, Melo, suggested taking the more northern route to Rito Village, across Tabantha Tundra. It added a couple of extra days to their journey time but it was better than getting caught in a heavy storm.

The further north the Princess and her knight travelled, the colder it became and she had to quickly change into her snow gear in order to stave off the chill; her white, woollen coat with gold trim was a favourite of hers. She had been assured that Melo and Radi had taken all necessary precautions against the harsh climate, but she had to admit that it was a bit concerning being unable to see them whilst travelling. 

As they encountered the first swathes of snow, Zelda took a moment to look back over her shoulder, wondering whether her knight would need some protective wear against the cold, but he seemed to be managing quite well. His small size allowed him to walk on top of all the snow without falling through it too far, leaving small furrows and clawed imprints in his wake. He didn’t seem affected by the low temperatures at all.

Looking back had caused her to slow down so she didn’t trip and Link had to reduce his speed in case he crashed into her. Coming to a complete stop, he tilted his head up at her questioningly to see what she was looking at but she merely turned her back on him and kept walking.

If at any point it looked like the cold was starting to affect him, Zelda had come prepared with plenty of spicy peppers that could be added to food for a temperature boost.

It was a few days worth of travel before they reached the cold front of Tabantha and as Zelda started to supplement her food with the pepper supply, a thought occurred to her. Not once during their journey had she seen her knight eat. At first upon considering this, she thought that perhaps he was sneakily eating from the wildberry bushes they had past by, but if that was the case he was being incredibly quick about it. She began to worry that he wasn’t eating because of some ridiculous clause in his Knightly Duty that prevented him from doing so if he was on duty, but he had eaten with her on their trek to the Spring of Courage. Out of interest, Zelda offered him a couple of peppers when they stopped at a stables in Tabantha Village. Link seemed to eat them happily enough and she was able to observe how a dragon ate – much the same as anything else. Despite his readiness to consume anything offered to him, Link did not seem to be starving or showing signs of fatigue so it probably was not an issue for him.

_Do dragons even need to eat?_ Zelda wondered. A thought which she was sadly unable to test at that point as she had more pressing matters to attend to. 

Her research had gleamed many documented events of dragons living within Hyrule from thousands of years ago. Some were feared and considered a plague upon the lands, while others were revered and given tribute. The tributes consisted of a variety of different things, including food. However, given the nature of Farosh's existence and Link’s transformation, it was possible that he was now powered by something more than just earthly sustenance. It would certainly explain his irregular eating habits. 

There had also been a passage she'd read outlining instances where dragons had kidnapped Princesses for their hoards. Yet, as Zelda sneaked a peak back at the tiny dragon trailing three paces behind her, she doubted she was currently at risk of being flown away. The mental image was enough to bring a smile to her snow flushed face though.

Exiting the shadows of the Tabantha Hills, the high rise spires of Rito Village came into view. The avian hotspot housed about eighty percent of the entire Rito population of Hyrule, with each of the many rock spires surrounding the central island in Totori Lake dotted with nests. The central Island was the only part of the village that non-avian beings could reach and sturdy, wooden bridges connected it over a series of smaller islands to reach the mainland of Tabantha. The cliff faces that encircled Lake Totori also showed signs of Rito families living within them, each nest highlighted with colourful strips of fabric across the entrances.

Crossing over the bridges to enter Rito Village proper they saw Revali waiting for them at the top of the first set of stairs, looking down at them. As always.

“Ah, there you are, and here I was thinking you might have gotten lost in the snow,” he said, facetiously, as they ascended up to his level.

Link had to jump up each individual step but the Princess did not wait for him to catch up.

“I decided to walk rather than take horses as I wanted to survey the route for any newly uncovered Shrines. I had heard the one in the ruins by the Rayne Highlands still hasn’t been analysed yet.”

Revali flapped a wing.

“We’ve had a few Rito fly over there to scout the area from above but nothing about it seems special. There are ones that are easier for you Hylians to reach,” he answered, before turning his head to one side to fix her with a solitary eye. “Besides, I thought you were here for Vah Medoh. A much more interesting piece of machinery and far more worthy of your time in my opinion.”

“I’m inclined to agree with you there, but I still would like to look over that Shrine myself at some point… though when I don’t know.”

At this the Princess glanced over her shoulder and Revali followed her gaze until he landed upon Link. He smirked.

“Well then, Princess, we should not dally then. I will personally escort you up to Vah Medoh, while your knight, well… I’m sure he’ll find something to do,” Revali scoffed. “I’m more than enough to keep you safe Princess, the Hero here can use this time to get some flying lessons from the fledglings here. I’m sure they’d only be too happy to learn alongside a _dragon_.”

The Rito Champion’s attempts to piss Link off did not go unnoticed, but he felt confusion more than any sort of irritation. He had been compared to a fledgling before and after thinking about it Revali had a point. These wings of his were new and they would need to be trained accordingly. Everyone had to start somewhere. 

Link kept Revali’s gaze and nodded. This caused the Rito’s smirk to turn into a grimace, an impressive display for someone with a beak, and he turned away to lead the Princess over to the Rito Village landing. But just before they arrived, the Princess halted him.

“Could you wait for me a moment, Revali? I need to present myself to the Village Elder, it would be terribly rude of me to come into your home and not meet with her.”

Revali heaved an over-dramatic sigh and turned away, folding his wings across his chest.

“Very well, but do be quick about it. I haven’t got _all_ day.”

The Princess didn’t need to be told twice and she zipped off up the stairs to reach the highest landing where the Rito Elder resided, two shadows following close behind. Link didn’t stand a chance chasing after her on his little legs, so he stayed put. Putting his trust in her Sheikah Escorts for the time being as he was left alone with Revali.

The ensuing silence was awkward and tense. At least it was for Link, he was unsure about the Rito Champion who seemed to thrive on such an atmosphere. With nothing else to do, he took to looking out over the edge of the landing, taking in the impressive view.

At this time of day, Lake Totori acted like a huge mirror as it reflected the rays from the winter sun back into the sky, giving the entire quarry a secondary source of light. Link wondered what it must look like on full moons, to have one mirror in the sky and another so close to home. Brightly coloured dots soared above the surface of the lake as adult Rito began the daily hunt, diving upon unsuspecting fish now and again before flying away with their prize. 

Link’s mother had often taught him little known cultural facts about the various races of Hyrule, that she had learned working so closely to Hylian Ambassadors. It was for this reason that Link knew that each Rito would hunt for their own families first, before contributing any additional food to the communal kitchens for those who were injured or no longer able to hunt. It was a good system, one that the Rito managed to make work so well due to their close proximity to each other. 

Link wondered how suffocating it must be for a Rito to lose the ability to fly, to lose that freedom. 

A sudden updraft caught Link by surprise and he nearly fell off over the edge of the landing. He dug his claws into the wooden decking beneath his feet and wrapped his tail around one of the posts of the nearby railing as winds buffeted his small frame. A mocking laugh sounded above him and a great shadow passed over him as Revali took to the skies.

Link had some choice names for the over inflated bird at that moment but he would not give the blue Rito the satisfaction. Revali was now hovering at the same level as the landing so he could be on par with Link’s face and he was looking even more smug than usual.

“Whoops, was that a little too much for our fearless Hero? Here, let me give you a boost up.”

Gripping his claws into the floor even deeper, Link resisted yet another gale but was surprised by the feathers that held him around his middle and tugged him free of the wooden boards. He was lifted up and dropped onto the railing that fenced off the sides of the landing. 

“There, much better, don’t you think?”

Link did not offer a response, too busy watching the Rito warily. Revali didn’t hate him enough to actually try and hurt him, Link was sure, but thoroughly mess with him? Absolutely. 

“Impressive, isn’t it?” He continued, showing off his full wing span in front of Link now that he had a decent vantage point. “I am able to draw upon the air currents around me and mould it to my design, creating the perfect updraft of air. Not only am I now the most accomplished archer within all of the Rito I am also now the most efficient and fastest flyer there is in all of Hyrule.”

Revali stopped his preening to lean in close to Link, sharp green eyes blazing.

“And I will continue to be so. I don’t know why I was tapped to merely assist you, but I learned how to fly all on my own, and so will you! Prove you are worth my time and that sword you used to carry!”

_Ah,_ Link thought as the situation suddenly became startlingly clear, _he’s worried I will take that from him. Now that I have wings, I could accomplish what previously separated him from the rest of the Champions. The power of flight._

He would have snorted at the realisation but he didn’t want to offend Revali and he was still very much aware of how great of a drop it was behind him. Instead, he defaulted to his usual blank state which gave away nothing. Revali scoffed.

Any other witty repertoire was postponed as the Princess came rushing down the steps towards them.

“Sorry, took a bit longer than expected. Are we ready?” She asked, pointedly ignoring the staring competition she seemed to have walked in on.

“But of course, Princess, I was just giving your Knight some tips on how to strive for excellence like myself.”

If Link were any less than the epitome of perfect self-control he would have rolled his eyes, but as it was he merely blinked. The Princess might have been able to deduce that he wasn’t impressed as she pursed her lips after seeing his expression. 

He watched in silence as the Princess climbed upon Revali’s back and the pair launched off into the air. Aided by a vortex of wind, they rose higher and higher with increasing speed until they were on par with the circling mechanical beast, Vah Medoh. Even now, the sight of such a marvel of engineering drifting among the clouds invoked a sense of awe within him.

Left behind on the banister of the landing, Link continued to watch the clouds drift by overhead, slightly disappointed that he would not get to see inside the Divine Beast but maybe one day he would be able to fly up there himself. The look on Revali’s face would be priceless.

_Even more reason to start practicing,_ Link thought to himself, deciding that now was a good a time as any.

Mentally judging the distance from his position on the railing to the wooden boards below, Link started to stretch out his stunted wings. It was still a bizarre experience but after a few meagre flaps the sensation began to feel less alien to him. He gathered his feet together underneath him, arching his back as his body coiled up, and leapt from the banister. 

There was a split second of Link being caught between gravity and momentum where it seemed like flying would be easy. Then he began to realise that he had made a mistake as he failed to catch enough air beneath his wings to prevent him entering freefall. Luckily, it wasn’t far to go but he still ended up landing on the decking hard, the shock travelling up through his legs causing him to wobble for a moment before he shook it off. 

He looked down at his wings, fluttered them a couple of times and then decided to try again. And again.

While Link made repeated attempts to catch any sort of lift, a gaggle of fledglings came up to the landing with the intent to sit on the edge and watch the adults fly above the lake beneath them. It was fun for the youngsters to watch the older and more experienced fliers practice their aerial acrobatics, providing them with ideas to try out themselves. They might also be lucky enough to spot Champion Revali flying around his Divine Beast as it glided above their village. Only today, there was a new spectacle.

A small, golden Dragon, with scales that reflected the sun almost as well as the surface of the lake, was trying to fly. Trying and failing. After getting over the shock of seeing a _Dragon_ , however small it was, the fledgings watched the shiny creature repeatedly drop down onto the landing before climbing back up to repeat the attempt. It was evident that the dragon was being hindered by wings too small for it’s build, but they also realised that the Dragon wasn’t using it’s wings correctly. They watched a couple more attempts before they saw a golden scale ping off of one of it’s legs upon impact with the landing and they darted in to help.

“Hey, little buddy, your wings aren’t open right.” 

Link paused, mid-wiggle as his body got ready to make another dive, and looked over to see a collection of multicoloured feathers. There were four in total, varying in size, and each sported a different plumage; bright red, dark grey, caramel brown, and deep blue. It was the crimson who had spoken and the young Rito stepped forward to repeat themselves.

“Do you understand? I said your wings aren’t open right, you gotta angle them this way, see?” The fledging demonstrated, holding out their own proportionally small wings to their sides before rotating them back ever so slightly, so the undersides were more clearly visible from the front.

Link copied the motion with his own wings and Red brought their wings forward to clap.

“That’s it!”

“You gotta use your tail too!” Caramel interjected, swivelling around to wag their tail feathers. “They gotta be fanned out. That way there’s more of you to catch the wind.”

All of them looked back at Link’s own tail and realised that was going to be harder to replicate. While he did have tail feathers they were at the end of a long scaly appendage and the feathers grew out vertically, rather than fanning out horizontally like a Rito. 

“Hmm,” Grey pondered, bringing a pinion up to tap against their beak. “Maybe you can turn them?”

Blue emphasised the point by making a swivelling gesture with their wings, turning them along a ninety degree angle. 

Taking the advice in stride, the Dragon knight spent about a minute locating the muscles he needed in his tail in order to rotate the end so that the feathers lay flat against the banister. It certainly wasn’t a natural feeling, but then again having a tail shouldn’t have felt natural at all for him.

“Now try again!” The gaggle chorused.

Their optimism was infectious.

The Princess and Revali were gone for over an hour and within that time Link had made very little progress in terms of true flight but he was now able to prevent himself from ploughing straight into the floor. With each jump, his descent slowed minutely through the increased drag of his tail and wings, angled just so to catch as much air as possible. Given the size of his wings, such a feat was quite impressive but it was evident that gliding was just about all he could do for now. 

Never the less, Link’s determination for even the slightest amount of progress had been bolstered by the helpful fledglings and they too had been spurred into practice. They asked if they could keep the shiny scale that had come lose after Link’s repeated acquaintance with the floor and they now took it in turns to hold onto it as they too jumped from the banister.

When the Rito Champion finally did return with the Princess, it was to a scene of four fledglings throwing themselves off of the railing alongside a tiny dragon. A couple of the Rito adults had also stopped to watch the activities.

Revali groaned under his breath and pinched the ridge of his beak with two pinions.

“I didn’t think he’d actually take lessons from fledglings.”

Zelda didn’t have a response for that, too busy being stunned at the sight of her knight _playing_ with the village children.

_Who are you really, Hero?_

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

The Rito children had been rather sad that the Dragon had to go but Revali had flown away pretty soon after dropping off the Princess so their business in the Village was now concluded. With a quick farewell to the Rito Elder, Princess and Dragon were now on their way to the Great Plateau, where a contingent of Sheikah warriors and scientists alike were waiting for them.

Zelda was buzzing with anticipation. She hadn’t been able to visit the Royal Labs for so long and now she was going to be somewhere, unsupervised, amidst an entire group of people who shared her interests. The fact that she was supposed to be there for the Temple of Time could be addressed later.

Admittedly, she would not be entirely unsupervised as she still had her chaperone but she was hoping that Link’s new appearance might distract some of the scientists enough for her to get some research done. Of course, she couldn’t tell them it was Link. Except perhaps Purah and Robbie.

_They’ve trusted me with so much, I can trust them with this,_ she thought.

The more people who knew, the greater the risk that Link would be revealed. She had to battle with the guilt that she was going to tell Sheikah scientists this secret, who Link did not know, rather than his family. 

One day away from the Plateau her paranoia won out and she decided to just ask.

“Would you like to let your family know? About what’s happened to you.”

His response had been an immediate shake of his head and nothing more. So, he was also of the same mind that having his family think he was simply in Kakariko was easier to bear. With that settled, the guilt had left her and she had returned to compiling a mental list of questions she wanted to ask the scientists upon arrival. 

She forgot to mention to Link that he would be offered up as a distraction to said scientists. 

As soon as Zelda and Link entered the grounds upon the Plateau, Melo and Radi phased back into their perception to escort the Princess up to the Shrine of Resurrection. The Sheikah’s current location of interest.

“Well, hello!” Purah cried upon spotting Zelda, dismissing her two guards for the meantime. “Who do we have here? Surely not the Princess. No, I’m afraid she has forgotten all about us, this cannot be her visiting us on such a fine day.”

“Hello, Purah,” Zelda laughed, zooming in for a hug as Purah opened her arms wide.

“Oh, I’ve missed you! Those grumps at the Castle need to lighten up and yes I include my sister in that. Oi, Robbie!” The Sheikah woman cried, throwing her voice back into the cave behind her, “look who’s here!”

There was an echoing hiss, something metallic being dropped onto a stone floor and then the muffled voices of several people moving about, with one distinctly male voice coming closer and closer to the Shrine entrance.

“Purah, I swear to the radiant Goddess if you’re pointing out another - Oh, Princess!”

The Sheikah scientist known as Robbie came into view, wearing a pair of magnifying goggles on his forehead. He seemed surprised to see the Princess, here of all places, but the wide grin spreading across his face indicated that he was happy to see her.

“Good morning to you too, Robbie,” Zelda greeted.

“Ah, my apologies, _someone_ did not inform me that we would be expecting you today,” Robbie explained, his grin now taut across his lips as he turned mechanically to Purah. A pointed look in his eyes.

“It maaaay have slipped my mind,” she admitted, before focusing on Zelda again, “but more importantly aren’t you lacking a certain knight? Hmm?”

Purah leaned in conspiratorially, moving her eyebrows up and down a couple of times. Subtlety was not her strong suit, but Zelda was well versed in the older woman’s quirks and she maintained her blissfully ignorant expression. Quickly growing bored of her game, Purah tutted and cut straight to the chase.

“I know for a fact he’s not in Kakariko, so where is he? Oh! Did you give him the slip?”

Zelda averted her eyes and sucked in her bottom lip, “not exactly…”

At this point, Link decided it was time to make his presence known and he attempted to make the loudest sound he was capable of. However, instead of a growl or some sort of grunt, the noise that came out of him sounded more like a beep. The two Sheikah and the Princess looked down at him and he tried not to look as mortified as he felt.

“And what is this delightful little creature?” Purah quickly ducked down to pick him up and then held him in her cupped hands. Link was starting to get rather tired of being so portable. “Hmmm? Is this you’re little _envoy_?”

The tone of voice she used alone was enough to give the game away instantly and Zelda felt her good cheer chip a little as she turned to Robbie with a deadpan expression.

“Impa told you didn’t she?”

Purah readjusted her glasses with a sniff before inspecting Link a little closer.

“To be fair to my sister she knew you were going to tell us anyway, but I must admit I thought she was having us on. So, our Hylian Champion truly has become our _Dragon_ Champion. Curious indeed. I owe Robbie twenty rupees now.”

While Robbie did a little victory jig in place, Zelda watched as Purah conducted a similar set of observations on Link as she had done. Running her finger over his side head frills, the spines running down his back and gently tugging at the wings folded tightly at his sides. However, Link was not being nearly as accommodating with Purah as he had been with her, she noticed, as he attempted to subtly dodge the Sheikah’s fingers. She fought down a smirk.

“I need to visit the Temple of Time. To pray. I will join you both later in your lab once I have finished. Oh, and Link?”

Link popped his head up and gave her his undivided attention.

“Please extend the same courtesies that you give me to Doctors Purah and Robbie. If we want to return you to your Hylian body, multiple pairs of eyes are better then one.”

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

The Temple of Time stood tall and grand within the heart of the Great Plateau, all pale stone and beautifully crafted stained glass windows. It was said that the races of Hyrule each had a hand in designing a window to represent them and that by accumulating them all within the Temple, upon neutral land, they would be bound together for all time. The original Temple of Time, that once stood beside the Castle, had been destroyed when the Calamity struck ten thousand years ago. As such it was rebuilt upon the Great Plateau, to encapsulate the giant statue of the Goddess.

The Great Plateau was surrounded by a fortified wall of brick and stone. It was intended to double as a Hyrulean military base, but as the chosen location for the new Temple of Time the military were discouraged from having much presence upon the plateau. Instead they formed Gatepost Town, a place comprised entirely of soldiers and their families. The plateau could only be reached via two sets of stairs that ascended inside the fortified exterior on either side of the plateau and Gatepost Town was built directly in between the two entrances. 

With the presence of the army on the ground, it meant that the spiritual leaders and acolytes could conduct their duties in peace and unhindered by protocol. The Sheikah warriors were a compromise as their entire culture was steeped in spiritual influence, including the way they fought. Even the most devout of the Sheikah, who dedicated their entire lives to the Goddesses, would have been trained to defend themselves and others. 

It was therefore of no surprise to Zelda, as she entered the Temple wearing her ceremonial white gown and golden accessories, to see Hylian, Gerudo, Zora, and Sheikah alike mingling about within the ancient walls. While the Rito could relate to the Winged Goddess of Light, Hylia, they were not an especially religious race and the Gorons were flat out atheist. They came from the ground so they would worship the ground. Or whatever the Goron equivalent of worship was.

_I should ask Daruk about that some time,_ Zelda thought but she was distracted by a priestess who had walked up to her, asking her to join with the rest of her circle in prayer.

As Princess, she could hardly refuse.

About an hour later, Zelda did not feel that she had made much headway towards conferring with the Goddesses, but she did feel accomplished in her own way. Those in the prayer circle had nothing but kind words for her, as did the other Temple goers who could see how hard she was trying and how dedicated she was to the cause. They offered her their own prayers – a highly bizarre experience for Zelda – and encouragements.

_If only my Father had as much insight,_ Zelda thought, wryly, as she bowed to her fellows.

She made a casual but swift retreat from the Temple and changed back into her travel gear. Pulling on her boots and straightening out her riding jacket made her feel somewhat back in her own skin. Every time she wore the prayer dress it just felt like she was putting on a façade, a costume that did not fit her, despite what her lineage would decree. 

The climb down from the Temple towards the Eastern Abbey was taken at a leisurely pace. The many sights and sounds of the plateau were stimuli Zelda did not often get to indulge in. It had been theorised that the plateau itself could have it’s own individual ecosystem. Land-locked species may not have encountered the same environmental pressures as their relatives on the lands below and therefore would have evolved differently. Zelda was itching to take her glass vials out of her satchel and fill them with seeds, fungal samples, and clumps of lichen to compare them to similar varieties within Hyrule Fields. But she knew such ventures would have to wait for a time in her future.

_If we have one._

Upon entering the Abbey, she was greeted by many Sheikah scientists as they rushed by, busy with their own projects and teams as they worked to uncover the mysteries of their lost culture. Zelda had once feared that because their history had been destroyed by a previous Hylian monarchy that the Sheikah would be resentful of having to indulge the latest Princess in their research. However, she had been taken aback by how enthusiastic they were to have a member of the Royal Family so interested in their work.

She had then been entrusted with what was potentially a key artefact in their research, the Sheikah Slate, which currently hung at her hip. The blatant trust and belief that they had in her to help them, nearly brought her to tears on occasion. It was therefore of no surprise that she carried the Slate everywhere with her. Familiarising herself with the tool at every available opportunity.

Like using it’s image capture function to record the various notes and diagrams that had been affixed to the inner walls of the Abbey.

“Back already, Princess? I thought for sure they’d try to make you sleep in the Temple.”

One of her Sheikah guards, Melo, was leaning against the wall next to the entrance to the abbey, with her brother nursing a mug of hot tea beside her. Zelda had been briefly introduced to them by Impa after she had announced her choices in potential guards. Melo and Radi had met with Zelda’s approval more than any of the others simply because they seemed more fun. They were not afraid of her title as Princess but they were not lax in their work ethic either, able to balance the two after years of field experience.

“I think if they could have they would have suggested it, but they know I don’t have time to spend with them all day. As nice as the Temple is,” Zelda admitted, placing the Slate back on its holster.

“I imagine it must get cold around this time of year,” Radi murmured, “wonder how they keep it heated.”

“Through the power of prayer, no doubt,” Zelda said, a touch disparagingly and she was met with two sets of sympathetic eyes. She sighed, “apologies. I know it’s not right of me to be so pessimistic just because it doesn’t seem to be working for me.”

“If anyone has the right, Princess, I think it is probably you,” Melo said quietly, her brother nodding sagely alongside her.

“Still, their loss is our gain,” Radi said and he gestured further inside the Abbey, “Doctor Purah has been waiting for you in there. We won’t keep you.”

The siblings bowed to her and Zelda inclined her head in gratitude before making her way into the next room.

Upon entering, Purah immediately stopped her perusal of the schematics that had been pinned up in front of her to come stand at Zelda’s shoulder. But as Purah moved out of the way, Zelda could see that she had been looking at a blueprint of a Guardian. An almost complete blueprint.

“Fascinating. How did you manage to open one?” Zelda asked, moving forward to run her fingers over the listed dimensions. She couldn’t help but notice that the Guardian in the diagram had a fractured helm.

“We didn’t,” Purah answered, primly, leading Zelda away from the wall and back into the depths of the Abbey. Towards her own research space.

“Oh? You found one broken?”

“That’s the Guardian dear Linky defended you from when it went berserk.”

The scientist gave her a weighted look, one that Zelda returned with a scowl.

“Please tell me you didn’t tell him that.”

“Why would I bother, I talk and I swear I can see my words going in but I get nothing back. It’s like talking to a brick wall, you were right, but he’s definitely not dim like you once claimed. No, I can tell,” she said astutely, “it’s behind his eyes. You can see he’s definitely taking in everything you say, working things out. An absorbent brick wall, at least. It’s almost as if he just doesn’t trust himself to speak.”

“He can’t, Purah.”

“He’s mute?” The Sheikah asked, curious but not particularly shocked.

“Well, I don’t know if he was before but as a Dragon he cannot speak Hylian.”

“Ah,” Purah said, before a shrewd expression pursed her lips, “that explains the beep.”

“Noticed that did you?”

A grin stretched across Sheikah’s face.

“Nothing gets past me, Princess.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot happened in this one but we’re finally getting onto the Memories. I will be taking massive liberties with said memories because both Link and Zelda’s situations have changed, so they will not be word for word verbatim from the games, nor will events be exactly the same as seen with 'Revali's Flap'.
> 
> Bit of world building, expansion on setting etc, which I hope you enjoyed! Stay tuned~


	7. Unintentional Discoveries

The Sheikah managed to convince the Princess to stay the night at the abbey. Both as an excuse to include her in yet more of their activities but also to allow them more time to observe Farore’s Envoy.

Link had been subjected to a much more thorough analysis than what the Princess had put him through. Thankfully, she had handed off her research notes to Robbie before leaving for the Temple and so he was not required to stand still and have his measurements taken again.

He was, however, asked to do a range of more physical activities. Walking and running across a bench back and forth to observe motion, for instance. The researchers had been excited to discover that he could climb nearly any vertical surface and his strength to size ratio was similarly impressive. 

He was currently situated on a work bench pressed up against a wall, next to an open door way that led into the last room of the abbey. During the time that Link had been here, he had seen several researchers going in and out of the room but he hadn’t been able to understand any words of conversation nor sneak glances at their notes. It would have been possible for him to just walk along the workbench and peer around the corner, but he was supposed to keep the Princess in his line of sight at all times.

Shadow guards or not, he hadn’t appreciated being handed off to these researchers the previous day but he couldn’t exactly argue her decision.

“Muscle mass to body size possibly remain consistent with those of Hylian form,” Robbie murmured as he jotted down his thoughts. “Will need to test again once subject has been returned to former self.“ 

So far, Robbie seemed to be in charge of examining Link, while Purah worked with the Princess on a bench on the opposite side of the room. Every so often, however, the older scientist would sneak over to disrupt his work. Like putting a hand over his goggles. 

“Subject appears to share many traits with both mammals and reptiles and has been categorised as an exother- Doctor Purah, please, I am trying to conduct an investigation over here.”

The offender in question giggled and removed her hands, leaning over to peruse Robbie’s notes. The man eagerly angled them towards her to show off.

“Princess, Doctor Purah, you must look at this data. The raw findings alone…”

Content that the Princess would be occupied for the time being, Link tuned out all of the scientific jargon he didn’t understand, letting it filter into his subconscious while he directed his hearing towards the other researchers. 

None of them had been told of his true identity and were therefore a little hesitant to approach him. Hylia was perhaps a more revered Goddess among the Sheikah than she was in Hylian culture, ironic considering that was where their namesake came from. Yet, a few braver – or perhaps more curious – individuals had come forward to have a look at him themselves. While Link had not liked being ogled as the Hero of Hyrule, for some reason being examined for his rare appearance was more tolerable. He still had concentrate on not fidgeting, however. 

The researchers didn’t bother him for long and would quickly return to their previously assigned task, curiosity sated. A couple even went through the open door way into the room at the back of the abbey.

The Princess had moved on from listening to offering input of her own, discussing various hypotheses with her two Sheikah friends. Seeing this, Link took the opportunity to walk slowly to the edge of the workbench and peer into the next room. Just a quick look to put it out of his mind.

There was the general ‘ordered’ chaos of papers and brain maps scattered across the walls but the section of the room that caught Link’s interest the most was the Shrine, located at the centre back. It was just as dull and lifeless as the rest of the Shrines located across Hyrule, but this one didn’t look like it had been unearthed. This one was clean and clearly a prominent feature of the room, with the tiling along the floor created _around_ the base of it. 

Several Shrines across the Kingdom had been above ground for centuries but their meaning had been lost over the course of time, which was to be expected. Yet, some part of their mystery had commanded a certain amount of respect and they were therefore a prominent feature in significant locations. 

Link could vividly remember the dim stone structure that sat directly beneath the throne of Zora’s Domain. He and the other children had often hidden behind it during their games, but back then it had held no meaning whatsoever. How times changed.

Chancing a look back over his shoulder, Link checked that the Princess was still happily chatting away before he entered the room. He couldn’t say why the sight of the Shrine had caused him to abandon his duties so easily, but as he crawled around the archway and down onto the floor, he wanted nothing more than to touch it.

The platform that formed the Shrines base was quite thick and Link had to clamber up onto it. By now, he had caught the attention of several researchers but none of them tried to stop him. One even left in hurry to speak with someone urgently in the next room. 

A pedestal stood to one side of the Shrines entrance, which was blocked by beams of stone all carved with ancient text that Link couldn’t read. As if compelled, he climbed his way up the structure, placing a clawed foot onto the face of the pedestal as he hefted himself up. 

In the brief contact of his claws touching the smooth Sheikah stone surface, the detailing around the edge nearest him glowed orange for an instant before disappearing. Blinking, Link looked down at his feet and when the glow did not return he lifted his foot and then put it back down again. Nothing. Frowning he tried with his other foot, then repeated the action with both feet. Still, the pedestal remained dormant.

“How did you do that?”

Turning around quickly, Link saw the Princess standing above him, the toes of her boots just barely kissing the base of the Shrine. Her eyes were fixed unwaveringly upon him.

“What did you do?”

Though her voice was controlled, Link could practically feel her fury simmering just below the surface of her skin, radiating off her like steam. It was then that the full weight of what had just transpired dropped on to him. 

He’d done it again. He’d managed to achieve something that the Princess had been attempting to do for years. Only, he hadn’t meant to, he usually never did. Everything monumental he had ever done was either on blind instinct or purely by accident. However, he had a feeling that she would not feel better if he told her this. Not that he could anyway.

Now that the situation had fully settled in, he felt angry at himself for leaving his post. He had agreed to remain as her knight, regardless of all the trained warriors surrounding them he should not have left her side so willingly. 

It was just a Shrine, there were tonnes of them.

His face gave nothing away of his inner turmoil of course and it also gave the Princess no answer to her questions. Again, because he didn’t have any.

Her eyes flickered away to look at the pedestal instead, still dark and dead, and her eyebrows scrunched together. The Princess’ hand hovered over the Sheikah Slate that hung from her belt for a moment, fingers twitching, before she changed her mind. Instead, her hand came forward to pick him up around the middle, lifting him free from the Shrine. 

Link didn’t fight her as she carried him outside and dropped him into the grass.

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

After letting Zelda fume silently outside the abbey for several minutes, Purah came out from her hiding spot to nudge the Princess out of her thoughts and to say goodbye. They both still had work to do and it was already past midday.

She could see Link, just barely visible through the long blades of grass, standing quite still beside the Princess. He hadn’t been looking at the Princess, choosing instead to stare ahead of him across the grassy plain, but his gaze turned up to meet Purah’s when she came outside.

“Hey now, Princess, this is good news! It means they do actually work, we just need to find the right stimulus, like we thought, right?” 

As Purah placed her hand on the Princess’ shoulder she felt some of the tension in the adolescent girl ease away, but she knew this was only half of the problem. Looking down again, the Sheikah scientist eyed the other half of the problem who had gone back to scanning their environment. She sighed.

“We’ll let you know if anything else changes and you let us know if you make any discoveries too! Ok? Alright, it’s probably time for you to leave if you want to make it to Vah Rudania. Daruk asked for you specifically, didn’t he?”

Never let it be said that Purah was subtle but by the Goddesses did it work. The Princess broke out into a small and nodded, gripping her hand tightly before letting go and moving away.

“Quite right, we best be off,” the Princess declared and for a split second she caught sight of a glimmer of gold as the wind blew through the grass by her feet.

The frown was back.

After parting ways, Purah remained outside to watch as the irate Princess walked stiffly back up the hill, with Link close at her heels. Her two Sheikah guards had already immersed themselves into obscurity, an impressive feat given the lack of available cover in their immediate vicinity. Purah had tried to wave goodbye and call after the Princess one last time but either Zelda could not hear her or she was once again too busy stewing in her frustration. Purah thought it was most likely the latter. 

_Ah, teenagers_.

Judging by the way she was going, it seemed Zelda would be leaving the Plateau via the stairs closest to the Coliseum, rather than the ones beside the Forest of Time. Which made sense if the Princess was planning to travel to Death Mountain next but it also meant that she got to walk past another Shrine on the way out.

Purah smirked as Zelda continued to storm her way across the Plateau, Link very cautiously keeping pace. For every three of the Princess’ steps he would put on a burst of speed to catch up before slowing back down again to keep the required distance between them.

It was kind of funny, watching a tiny blur of gold dart through the grass. A couple of times she saw Zelda glare over her shoulder, freezing her knight to the spot before she resumed looking forward again. However, not once did Link back down, simply keeping a healthy amount of space around the Princess as she charged ahead. 

It was funny, Purah told herself as she tried not to despair over the fact that their Destined Duo to defeat the Calamity continued to walk on eggshells around each other. 

Rolling her eyes, the Sheikah researcher walked back into the Eastern Abbey, now filled with feverish activity. She desperately needed a cup of tea.

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

Since leaving the Great Plateau, not a word had been spoken. Clearly, the Princess was still processing what had happened with the Shrine in the abbey and she was not in a sharing mood.

They were heading around Lake Kolomo to travel north through Hyrule Fields towards Death Mountain. The day was still bright, even if the breeze was chilly, and the birch trees around them were losing the last of their leaves. In the Princess’ distress she had veered off of the main path, crunching dead leaves and grit beneath her boots as she walked ahead.

There wasn’t much point to Link trying to get her back on the path as this would actually make an ambush less likely, so he continued to follow. Skipping over particularly large leaves as he went.

The sound of detritus scattering around him must have reminded the Princess that he was there as her pace slowed, focus broken. She turned to look at him and he looked back, expression open but blank.

“I want to get to Death Mountain as soon as possible. I spent a bit longer on the Plateau than I should have and I want to fit in as much work with the Sheikah Technology as I can before the cold front reaches Central Hyrule,” she explained.

Link nodded, he knew this already but if the Princess was up to speaking out loud again it meant she must be feeling a bit better. She returned the nod faintly and turned back around to continue walking down the path, unclipping the Sheikah Slate to read something on the screen. 

“Daruk wants us to help him with Vah Rudania. Although he’s managed to get it to move, I gather it’s not being as co-operative as he would like. It’s incredible to think these machines were built by people, they act as if they have thoughts of their own sometimes, they seem … alive.”

It was true, from what Link had heard of Vah Ruta, whenever Mipha spoke about her Divine Beast, it seemed to actively respond to it’s pilot. Mipha had struggled to explain it but she had been the first of the Champions to form that connection with her Divine Beast.

As the Princess talked about the reason for their trip, Link began to sniff through the leaves around him trying to see if he could catch the scent of anyone else having been in this area recently. May as well use all of his senses. 

Whenever the wind blew in an erratic direction, he would detect the faint smoky smell of incense – the two Sheikah Guards, wherever they were – but no-one else. There was an old, lingering smell of bananas but he wasn’t sure where that was coming from. Perhaps a fruit Merchant had come through here recently. All the while, he had one ear trained on the Princess.

“There’s so much we don’t know about them yet, but if we want to defeat Calamity Ganon, they’re our best hope.”

Zelda withheld a sigh as she considered those last words. It was a morbid comfort to know that it wasn’t just her unable to uphold the ancient tradition of the Princess of Destiny and the Hero of Courage anymore. Even knowing where the Master Sword was did not much improve their chances of using Link effectively in battle.

She looked back around to see if Link had been paying attention to her. He was currently snuffling through the leaf litter, which was evidently far more interesting than what she had been saying. She heaved a full sigh this time and was about to roll her eyes to the heavens, but Link looked up at the sound, tilting his head at her questioningly. 

He looked like he was waiting for something.

“Were you listening?”

He nodded.

“Hmm.”

Pursing her lips, Zelda continued their staring match for about a minute, before whipping back around and stalking off. She recognised that her behaviour was incredibly capricious of late but trying to gauge her knight’s reactions while he had been Hylian had been near impossible. Now that he was a non-humanoid species all together? It was an exercise in futility.

A few minutes passed by, with nothing but the wind rattling the last of the tree’s brittle leaves to populate the silence as the Princess rejoined the main path. Link did not particularly wish to sniff the grit road in case he got sand up his nose and was therefore preoccupied with eyeing the space on either side of the road when the Princess stopped once again.

Zelda had decided to attempt asking her knight another question when she felt something bump against her ankle. Her chain of thought now broken, she looked down to see that it was Link who had walked into her. He looked a bit surprised, in her opinion, at having crashed into her and he attempted to back up a couple of steps upon her notice. Before he could get very far, however, Zelda bent down and picked him up.

“You know, there is actually quite a high risk of you being stepped on. Not a very glamorous death for the Hero of Hyrule. Plus, you’re tiny legs make following me on foot impractical. Eventually you’ll get tired and be utterly useless,” she declared, before dropping him into her satchel bag without any further discussion.

As Zelda resumed walking, question completely forgotten, she felt a small rumbling noise come from the Hero as he fidgeted. He had propped his head over the lip of the bag, using it as a new vantage point to get a good look around their landscape. Now that she thought about it, he probably couldn’t see very well from the floor. 

_If he’s to be of any use at all I’ll have to keep him up here with me from now on._

It was curious how, even though he was now almost physically attached to her person, he was somehow less intrusive than he had been when he used to walk three steps behind her. His presence had shadowed her since the day of his appointment and it had been enough for her to itch whenever she was being followed. The Master Sword upon his back haunting her steps the whole way. 

Technically, it still was on his back.

“Tell me,” Zelda said, suddenly remembering her earlier train of thought, “before your transformation, how proficient were you with the sword you carried?”

If she had looked down, she would have noticed that Link had diverted his attention from the trees to their right to focus on her. But she did not look down. 

“Legend tells of a voice within the sword. If the sword truly is still with you, I wonder, can you hear it, Hero?”

Now she cast her gaze down at her bag, eyeing her dragon knight critically but all she received in return was his expressionless face and an clueless blink. His countenance would have appeared completely empty if it were not for the faint flicker of curiosity behind his eyes. 

Curious to know why she cared perhaps? But no answer was forthcoming and while this did not surprise Zelda it was still infuriating. The least he could do was nod or shake his head even if he was incapable of speech. She could feel that same desire to scream up at the sky that she had felt that morning begin to crawl up her throat so she tore her gaze away from her knight and continued to march onwards.

The rest of the trip to Death Mountain was made in silence.

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

“Well met, Princess! Take it ya’ didn’t have too much trouble on ya’ way up here?”

With Death Mountain on their list of places to visit, a literal active volcano, Zelda had packed copious amounts of Fireproof Elixirs along with the rest of their supplies. Even though she had been told that both Melo and Radi were both well equipped for the varying climates they would encounter she had still felt the need to call out to them and offer them their own share of elixirs.

They had taken them, out of politeness or genuine gratitude she was unsure.

Meeting Daruk at the first hazard marker upon the mountain, Zelda had already consumed her elixir and was about to offer Link his when she paused. Her satchel had been left at the monitoring station at the base of the volcano, lest her notes catch fire – she really ought to invest in some Smotherwing treated paper one of these days - so Link had made the journey up on her shoulder. For lack of anywhere else to put him. But she was intrigued to discover that Link did not seem to be under any discomfort from the high temperatures.

She took another cautious step forward, past the marker calling for better fire protection, and observed zero change in Link’s body language.

“Is the lil guy Fireproof or does that stuff work on dragons too?” Daruk asked, eyeing Link with concern in case he suddenly burst into flames.

Seeing that he was actually being talked to, rather than being talked about, Link recalled the words that had passed over him and shuffled in place. After feeling no sense of discomfort, he stretched out his wings and waited for any signs of pain along the delicate membranes. None came.

He shook his head at the Princess as she brought the elixir bottle up to him but she did not put it away.

“It seems he is ok for now. Let’s continue on slowly in case that changes and then we can try the elixir on him. In the mean time, Daruk, if you wouldn’t mind recapping on your progress on Vah Rudania as we walk. You said it was being stubborn?”

As they continued their hike up the mountain, heat rising from the pools of lava around them to create a hazy atmosphere, Link continued to weather the conditions just fine. After entering Goron City, both the Princess and Daruk came to the conclusion that Dragons were simply fireproof. Link found himself unable to feel surprise over this fact.

“Makes sense I guess,” Daruk said, scratching his bristly beard, “don’t most Dragons breathe fire? There used to be one of them inside the mountain if I remember right.”

“That’s true!” The Princess said. “Volvagia. A Fire Wyrm from the Era of Time, but as the name suggests I would have expected that one to be immune to fire. Link has so far demonstrated no fire-oriented abilities, only electrical.”

_Then again, he also was not bothered by the cold of Hebra either…_

Vah Rudania was as equally unbothered by the fires around it as Link seemed to be, perched on the side of the volcano with it’s feet dipped in the running streams of lava. Zelda promptly buried herself in it’s inner mechanisms with the Slate firmly in hand as soon as they entered the Divine Beast and she became deaf to the world around her. Daruk decided to take Link with him up to the top deck and admire the view. After days of travelling, the Princess was no doubt starting to tire of Link’s constant presence.

“Come with me, Lil Guy, lets leave Tiny Princess to do her thing, eh?”

He was comically small in Daruk’s large, blocky hand.

The view from on top of Vah Rudania was extraordinary. High above sea level, the great landscape of Hyrule was laid out before them, from the Wetlands of Lanayru, to the Jungles of Faron, up to the high rise cliffs of Gerudo Canyon. Hyrule Field was a flat patch of green outlined by shining ribbons of water as various rivers ran around it’s perimeter and Hyrule Castle stood at it’s apex. It’s many towers and spires made an impressive silhouette against the pale sky.

Link turned his attention slightly north of the Castle to view the Lost Woods, covered in perpetual fog, where he could just make out the bare branches of the Great Deku Tree peaking out of the tree canopy. He had been in full bloom when Link saw him last, it was sad to see him so bare of leaf or flower. 

Switching his gaze to the south, Link could see the twinkling structures of Zora’s Domain just over the cliffs that encapsulated the kingdom. Within that enclosed area, he knew the cliffs shined with an iridescence that put opals to shame when the sun was ready to set on yet another completed day. 

A wave of longing came over Link as he gazed at the place where he had spent many a day with his father, training alongside the Zora before sneaking off to spend time with Mipha. King Dorephan had often joked that Mipha’s powers came into her own so quickly because she got so much practice patching him back together after yet another reckless venture into Upland Zorana. She always managed to avoid injury.

He missed those days.

There was little doubt in his mind that the Princess would not be journeying to Zora’s Domain any time soon. Mipha seemed to have a good handle on Vah Ruta and while Link was infinitely proud of her for that, he couldn’t help a small selfish voice wishing she had reason to call for the Princess’ aid. That way, he could come visit her too.

It was the only way he would be able to do so for the foreseeable future.

Something of his glum mood must have appeared on his face as Daruk held him up to get a better look at eye level.

“Hey now, lil guy, what’s up?”

Touched that Daruk was actually willing to ask about his emotional state, Link felt his spirits rise and in a moment of relative freedom and playfulness tilted his head back so that he could look at the clouds above.

_The Sky._

“Ha! Very funny, though … I guess being a lizard can’t be that fun, huh? Speaking of lizards…” Daruk rolled his shoulders and Link both felt and heard the resulting cracks. “Alright, lets give this Beast another go!”

He stood tall and proud on his Divine Beast as he took in the splendour of Hyrule before him. Wisps of ash and still burning embers exhaled from the volcano behind them drifted past their heads, swirling and dancing in the heated updrafts from lava pits below.

“I’m going to try moving it Tiny Princess!” Daruk bellowed and Link involuntarily crouched as his ears flinched at the high volume.

“Alright! Everything looks good in here!” Came the Princess’ distant reply.

With a subtle shift in the Goron’s stance, the Divine Beast grumbled low in it’s mechanical belly and began to move. It was slow and there was a grinding noise as if the Beast were trying to resist being moved, but Daruk wasn’t having it and he leaned his weight further forward. Vah Rudania wailed loudly and Link was vividly reminded of trying to get his sister out of bed; lethargic yet defiant.

The Beast moved a single leg forward before stopping and warbling again. Daruk sagged.

“I swear I’ve seen boulders with more energy…”

Link did not like seeing the Goron Champion look so dejected. He did not like seeing that expression on anyone but there was something about _Daruk_ appearing that way that made Link feel uncomfortable. Daruk was the Optimistic Champion.

Unwilling to allow this negative mood to continue, Link bounced on the Goron’s hand with his front feet over and over until he got the message.

“You want me to try again? I’m not sure what good it’ll do, that’s why I asked Tiny Princess here, t’see if she could find what I was doing wrong.”

The Dragon Champion frowned, considering the available options. The Princess had so far not detected anything abnormal about Vah Rudania and the fact that the Divine Beast responded to Daruk at all meant he was a suitable pilot. It was then that he recalled something the Princess had mentioned:

_“They act as if they have thoughts of their own sometimes, they seem … alive.”_

Maybe Daruk was right? What if Vah Rudania really was just being stubborn? As stubborn as a Goron. It really was a shame that Link had no usable voice in that moment but he would have to make do. 

Tapping one of his feet to get Daruk’s attention, Link gestured with his snout pointedly down at Vah Rudania’s back. Then, careful to avoid hitting his horn, Link bonked his head against Daruk’s forearm. He immediately regretted it. 

“Ya want me to head butt Rudania?” Daruk asked, uncertainly, a little worried as he watched the tiny dragon recoil from the impact.

Waiting for the sharp pain to dissipate and the ache in his skull to subside, Link shook his head slowly and used a claw to rap against the side of his head. Then pointed back down at Vah Rudania. The sound of the Goron’s comprehension made the slight dizziness worth it.

“Oh! I think I get ya’ Lil Guy. It’s hard headed. So, I just gotta out stubborn this thing!”

Determination returned, Daruk straightened out his posture and resumed a wide stance on the back of his Divine Beast.

“Come on, ya’ overgrown lizard, time to wake up!”

Rudania gurgled again but Daruk refused to relent and eventually the Beast roused itself enough to move. Pulling it’s stone claws out from a river of fire to place them down onto the charred rock of the mountain, the gargantuan salamander steadily made it’s way forward. 

“I think I’m finally getting the hang o’ this. You best let those other Champions know they better eat their gravel if they wanna keep up with Daruk!”

His optimism and enthusiasm had returned and Link allowed his confident aura to wash over him as he admired the scenery. Rudania was not fast – nor were any of the Beasts – but it’s territory, high up on Death Mountain, avoided them breath taking sights. It was quite pleasant now that Rudania was no longer resisting Daruk’s control. From up on the mountain, they could see everything they wished to defend from the Calamity. It really put things into perspective.

Link knew that both himself and Daruk preferred to focus on the positive aspects of life and would therefore do anything to keep this land safe. Even if neither of them had been picked for their positions, or some divine destiny, they would have gotten involved regardless. It was comforting to find someone so similar in that regard.

Just as Link was allowing himself to become relaxed, still safely contained in the Goron’s hand, he heard a distinct rumbling and a definitive crack that had nothing to do with the movement of Vah Rudania. He perked up at the sound, turning towards the source of the noise, an action that did not go unnoticed by Daruk. Vah Rudania came to a stop.

“Hey, whats-“ He started, but a much louder reverberating crack sounded across the open air of the mountain and the land beneath them shook violently. High above them, several large boulders became dislodged from near the mouth of the volcano and started hurtling down towards them. 

“Get behind me, Link!” Daruk commanded, and Link dove off of his palm to latch onto the rocky exterior of the Goron’s back.

With a yell, Daruk threw both of his tightly clenched fists forward, towards the falling boulders. They impacted against his summoned crystalline shield and shattered into pieces. Link curled his tail in around himself to avoid the falling debris as it flew past Daruk’s large build only to fall onto Vah Rudania’s back. Chips of rock and dust scattering everywhere.

Once the shower of stone had fallen and the air cleared, Daruk let out a breath.

“Huh, you alright back there, brother?”

Taking this to mean the coast was clear, Link crawled up onto the Goron Champion’s shoulder. Daruk took stock of his uninjured body before turning his attentions back up the mountain side. 

“That was strange, the mountain hasn’t acted up like since … nah, never mind. It’s probably nothing.”

While Link would have desperately loved to enquire further about the mountain’s taciturn nature, and why this particular event gave Daruk suspicion, the Princess chose that moment to come up onto the top deck, wide-eyed and tense. Link felt immediate guilt that he hadn’t taken the moment to ensure her safety, but the presence of Melo and Radi at her sides reassured him of that somewhat. They both had tools in their hands.

“What was that?” Zelda asked, for once looking more concerned than curious. 

“Ah, nothin’ to worry about, Princess. This mountain gets fidgety sometimes, gets restless like any Goron. She’s settled again now though…”

As Daruk walked Link back over to the Princess, who had finished her inspections of Vah Rudania and was now ready to give Daruk some advice, Link couldn’t help but keep his eyes on the peak of the Volcano. When he had been transferred over to the Princess’ shoulder, he could see that Daruk was doing the same.

“Well, it looks like Vah Rudania is obeying you just fine now,” Zelda observed, trying to ignore what had just happened. “I’ve done a quick check of it’s systems and there doesn’t seem to be anything amiss, but I’m not exactly an expert.”

This brought the Goron’s attention back.

“Don’t sell yourself short, Princess. I’m sure those Sheikah know a fair few things about these Beasts but there’s no-one I’d rather ask to help me with this than you.”

“I- thank you, Daruk. But it appears you managed it without my help in the end anyway.”

“Ah, wasn’t my idea. Link here suggested that it might be hard headed, like me. So I just had to keep trying till I beat it. A good ol’ Test of Wills.”

“As if … it has a personality?” Zelda asked, slowly, her eyes drifting over to the Dragon on her shoulder. The Dragon who very quickly looked away once she made eye contact with him.

“The personality of a Goron! Go figure.”

Zelda continued to side-eye her knight, as Daruk began to awkwardly introduce himself to her Sheikah Guards – as if they didn’t know who he was. She was positive that she had mentioned the Divine Beasts having their own thoughts just a couple of days ago. She was sure of it. Back then she had even questioned her knight as to whether he was paying attention or not. Now she had a definite answer.

_Purah was right. He does listen to everything you say to him._

Zelda wasn’t sure how to feel about that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hooo boy have I been busy with MSc work, starting to feel a worrying lack of motivation but I have all of next week off so hopefully I'll get my mojo back. I am very tired as I post this so forgive me for the occasional error that slipped by my proof read.
> 
> Thank you everyone for your comments, I'm glad everyone liked the beep! We have cute Link for a little while longer before shit gets serious.
> 
> Some belated art of [Link with Mipha in Chp. 5](https://sarcastic-sketches.tumblr.com/post/186430764460/even-link-who-had-practically-grown-up-with)


	8. Impromptu Trip

The minor earthquake aptly concluded their business on Death Mountain and the Princess, along with her entourage, returned to the much more habitable zone of the Eldin region. 

With both Vah Medoh, Vah Rudania, and her visit to the Temple of Time now concluded, it was time for them to return to Hyrule Castle. No matter how much the Princess wished she could remain outside. Winter was approaching and already the snow front from Tabantha had encroached further east across Hyrule. Soon it would travel south and cover the Central valley, causing all travel to the surrounding areas to cease.

 _Although_ , Zelda thought to herself privately, _there is possibly still time for one last venture out. I want to visit Urbosa and I never did get to look at that Shrine on my way back from Rito Village._

A route that took her past the Shrine on her way to the desert would take them about a week. They could make it, if they left tomorrow.

She sighed, forcing her shoulders back and straightening her spine as she thought on it further. It would be good for her to get away for a while, give her a chance to stretch her legs and try to reconnect with herself. Connect with the Goddess. Farore had been a bust, clearly, so if courage wasn’t for her then maybe she should be more direct. Zelda needed her Sealing Power, so she should seek advice from Din herself.

The Gerudo Desert had always been associated with the Crimson Goddess.

 _A solid argument but also a farce,_ Zelda scolded, _we just want to see Urbosa._

It was true, the Gerudo Champion would be a source of much comfort and she might even have some advice. Doing anything related to her Sealing Powers was going to be the furthest thing from Zelda’s mind.

Upon arrival at the Castle, the two Sheikah guards revealed themselves to Zelda and explained that they would now be reporting to Impa. Zelda took the opportunity then to inform them of her desire to make one last trip out to the Gerudo Desert, via Hyrule Ridge. Neither Melo or Radi seemed surprised by her sudden request and they promised that they would return to her tomorrow morning after sending a message ahead for Champion Urbosa. They took their leave and Zelda was left alone with Link. Again.

She would have liked to dash her way up to her room, in attempt to lose him given her speed advantage, but decided against it. Actively looking like she was trying to distance herself from the golden dragon sent by the Goddesses would raise suspicion. Not to mention, forcing him to run after her when she had already expressed her concerns over the risks of him being stepped on was just petty. Zelda did have to begrudgingly admit, however, that she was impressed that he had always managed to keep up with her previously, with no signs of fatigue. His little legs working over time to stick to her like glue.

Instead, she offered her hand out for Link to climb onto and carried him out in front of her. If they were to continue with the story of him being Farore’s Envoy, the least she could do was act accordingly. It wasn’t exactly the most demanding of her responsibilities. 

Reaching her bedroom door, Zelda was finally able to dismiss Link and allow him to do as he pleased for the rest of the day, placing him back down onto the floor. Amazingly, Link actually did take his leave and she watched as the little dragon trotted back down the corridor and out of sight with nary a complaint. A perfect Knight.

Free of all chaperones, she quietly closed the door and sagged against it. Travelling took a lot out of her, which in turn meant she was less inclined to spend hours looking over her research notes. A pity.

 _A horse would not go a miss next time I think_ , she decided, making a mental note to have her horse ready for tomorrow morning. The earlier she left the less time her father would have to hear that she was leaving the Castle again and try to stop her.

Sitting down on her bed, she tugged off her walking boots and took her travel bag in hand. She upended it’s contents onto her bed, items tumbling out across her sheets as she took in her current inventory. Separating out her used clothes, she gathered them up into her arms and deposited them onto her work desk, out of the way until she could deal with them once she was back. Or the maids would come in to take things away to be washed. 

Zelda attempted to make the pile of chaos a little bit neater.

Returning back to her now empty bag, she packed new sets of clothes for the journey ahead and re-packed some necessary supplies. Her research journals, tools, and reference materials were placed back into their designated pockets within the bag and she added in some spicy and chilly elixirs. She did not have any room for her winter coat so elixirs to combat the cold of Tabantha and the heat of the desert would have to do. Satisfied with her preparations, she closed the clasp on the bag and dropped it beside her bed. 

All packed and ready to go. 

Their camping supplies were still tucked away in Link’s magically enchanted bag. It was a relief because carrying all of that equipment without a horse by herself would have been difficult had it not been for the bag’s physics defying attributes.

The sun was beginning to set as Zelda lay out fresh clothes for tomorrow and she considered whether she had time to run a bath before dinner. After she had peeled herself out of her well worn travel clothes she decided that, yes, she most definitely had time for a bath.

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

Freshly washed and squeaky clean, Zelda was walking back from the baths hoping to have dinner brought up to her room. Seeing the Princess eat with the other denizens of the Castle was not out of the ordinary and it was even less so after she had just come back from her travels. Always an excuse to avoid having to see her father. But on this occasion she was too tired to put on a composed façade and wanted some peace while she ate.

She was just about to turn into the corridor that led to her room, when a woman’s voice spoke out behind her.

“Your highness? Could I speak with you a moment, please?”

It was incredible how such a simple, politely worded request could fill Zelda’s stomach with ice. Almost mechanically, she turned around to see a woman, not much taller than herself, with blonde hair and blue eyes approach her. She looked familiar.

For a moment, Zelda was convinced she had met this person before and had forgotten her name but as the older woman came closer she realised why her face seemed so recognisable. Her eyes in particular.

_Oh no, please don’t be…_

“Hello, your highness,” the woman said, bowing forward slightly as was customary, “we have never actually been introduced, but I am Lucinda Silvis. Link’s mother.”

 _Oh, fuck,_ Zelda cursed, internally, scrambling for any scrap of self control that would keep the overwhelming surprise and panic off of her face.

She had never met the woman before and could only place Link’s father, Damien, because he had been in line to take over as General of the Castle Guard. He had refused the position when it was offered to him on account of Link being born and the role went to Tapidor instead. Damien now ran a bakery in Castle Town, if Zelda’s memory served her well, but she knew next to nothing about Link’s mother.

“I didn’t mean to startle you,” Lucinda said, kindly, and clearly Zelda’s self control was not as good as she thought. Or perhaps the woman was just good at reading micro expressions. One would probably have to be with a son like Link. “I just wanted to ask you a question, if that’s alright?”

Zelda tongue was currently stuck to the roof of her mouth so she nodded instead.

“I was told that Link was sent to train with the Sheikah in Kakariko and I’ve been sending him letters but … I haven’t gotten a response yet.”

The screaming in Zelda’s head, which had been building the moment Lucinda introduced herself, grew louder.

“Is there a reason he might not be getting my letters? Link has never ignored them before.”

Put on the spot like this, Zelda’s mind was drawing a blank. Besides the screaming. This was a question much better posed to the General or Impa. Who could very easily provide a suitable and believable lie to continue their cover story. However, Zelda was on her own. She didn’t even have Link to provide a distraction in the conversation.

“I can send a communications to the Sheikah within Kakariko Village and enquire whether Link has been receiving them, if you would like? It’s also possible that he has been kept too busy, I hear the training is rather strict,” Zelda offered. 

It had sounded weak in her head but it had the desired effect as Lucinda looked gratified by her response.

“Thank you, your Highness. I don’t mean to be a bother but it’s usually me that’s the one going away. Not him,” she smiled as she spoke and Zelda guessed that there must be some hidden story there. Or perhaps a family joke.

Zelda felt a stab of longing.

“Not a problem, I’ll have that sent off straight away.”

Lucinda thanked her and bowed again before walking away to attend to whatever it was she did in the Castle. Zelda cursed herself for not asking before resigning herself to asking Link later as she walked swiftly back to her room. Lest she be ambushed again.

When Link reported back to her room for the night, after patrolling the halls, he was greeted by the sight of the Princess waiting on her bed for him and the Sheikah Slate placed screen up on the floor. There was also a cleaned off plate on her bedside table and a small bowl of fruit, so at least she had eaten something.

“I have some questions if you’re not too tired?” She asked, indicating the Slate.

It was a veiled attempt at kindness but Link knew he didn’t really have the option of saying ‘no’ so he walked forward to sit neatly in front of the Slate. He wrapped his tail around his feet and held his head high as if he were standing to attention. He had standards, thank you, and could be poised even with four clawed feet and extra appendages.

“What does your mother do? I know about your father but I realised I know nothing about her.”

Link paused. He wondered why the Princess had such a sudden interest in his parentage but decided against answering her question with another question.

[She is a translator for the Hylian Ambassadors. She is often on diplomatic trips inside and out of Hyrule]

The Princess slipped down from her bed with a quick glance to the door and knelt over the Slate to read. She read his answer and nodded comprehendingly.

“That’s a rare position. Do you often keep in contact with your family?”

Link didn’t even need to Slate to answer that one, nodding in response. They were very invested in how he was doing and his sister would complain if she didn’t get to see him at least once a month. It used to be once a week but since he came forward with the Sword his responsibilities had necessitated staying away for longer. Aryll understood, according to their father, but her clingy behaviour when it was time for him to leave said otherwise. She was only eleven. 

If Link couldn’t see them in person he would write a report to send back home. His father thought it was hilarious and his mother would remind him that a little descriptive writing from time to time wouldn’t kill him.

“I see,” the Princess said and her eyes flickered away for a moment, filled with an emotion he could not identify. “Did you go to see them often?”

Another nod from a Link, a short sigh from the Princess. 

“I saw your mother today, or rather, she introduced herself to me.”

That brought Link up short. For some reason the idea of the Princess meeting his mother made him uncomfortable but he couldn’t place why. 

“She has been sending you letters to Kakariko Village, of course, you’re not actually there to write a response back so she has been getting worried I suppose. Has there ever been a time where you haven’t written your mother back?”

While Link deflated on the inside a little to hear that his mother was getting worried for him, he was also pleased that she had been sending him letters. He wondered if he could ask for them to be sent back here so he could read them. But to answer the Princess’ question he shook his head. He would always write back, even if it was brief.

“Then we might have a problem. Unless we say that you have not received the letters at all, your mother might get suspicious. It’s not as if you can fake a response.”

To this, Link tilted his head ever so slightly in confusion and the Princess wordlessly pointed to his feet before making a pinching gesture. He couldn’t hold a pen. Though the attempt would probably be quite funny to watch at another time.

As the Princess pondered a solution, Link reached for the Slate.

[Tell her I have been reading them but that I need to keep my focus. I will have lots to tell her when I return]

She peered down at the Slate, squinting, before looking back to him, “are you sure? Do you think she’ll believe that?”

[It’s not a lie. It came from me]

When no rebuttal followed, Link decided to make himself comfortable and settled in for the night. He padded into his bed and curled up, his elongated spine now making this position very comfortable. Had he tried as a Hylian he would have had some problems. 

He was just about to close his eyes and concentrate on his hearing when a strawberry was deposited outside of the cupboard by the Princess’ hand. She didn’t wait to see him acknowledge it as she retreated back behind the screen partition that separated his sleeping space from hers. When it became clear she wasn’t coming back, Link retrieved the offering and dug in with gratitude. He very rarely got to have strawberries.

Licking his lips he hunkered down again. As his usual dim glow provided a gentle, calming light for the Princess to fall asleep by, Link was struck with a sudden realisation. The emotion that had been in her eyes when she asked about the relationship with his family had been jealousy. A wistfulness.

It occurred to him that the Princess really did not have any family she could turn to. No wonder she wanted to see Urbosa so badly.

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

The following morning Link did not even stir until a set of knocks on the Princess’ door awoke him and he startled awake, darting out of his cupboard to see if the Princess had left without him. He was surprised to find her still in the room, fully awake and dressed, standing in the open doorway talking to Radi and Melo and bouncing slightly on the balls of her feet.

 _Someone’s in a good mood,_ he thought, blinking his eyes sluggishly as he willed the last of his fatigue away. That cupboard space really was far too comfortable for his own good.

The conversation about his mother the previous day lingered vaguely at the back of his mind, but he shook it away. There was nothing he could do about it right now and revealing himself to his family in his current state was likely to cause more worry. A small fib was worth it in comparison.

When leaving the Castle this time, the Princess had decided to take horses so the Sheikah were also given mounts to ride along with her. They would be keeping their distance, Melo taking point to scout ahead while Radi lagged behind to cover their tracks, but Link felt better knowing that they would be there at all. His limited motility was beginning to make him more paranoid about the Princess’ safety. Not that he believed himself unwilling but that he might be physically incapable of defending her to the best of his abilities.

Instead of being perched on the Princess’ shoulder, Link had been put into one of the open saddle bags. He dearly wished he could have spoken up about being placed on the front of the saddle instead as he could only see one half of the road from his vantage point on the horse’s right side. He could, however, see the darkening clouds gathering over Hebra, threatening to spill down into their valley. 

Winter was an enjoyable season for him, it was a time to play with his sister as training and drills within the guard were put on hold. He would take her out to play in the snow as his father became swamped with customers in the bakery and his mother was busy at the Castle. Aryll was only allowed to go into Hyrule Field if he accompanied her.

 _Guess I won’t be doing that this year,_ Link realised, hoping she wouldn’t be too disappointed with him.

Zelda on the other hand, did not enjoy winter. Winter meant sub-optimal conditions to be doing field research and she was more often than not completely Castle-bound. Several weeks of being forced inside where she could not escape her father’s judgements or the evidence of her own ineptitude.

Winter, was not her favourite season by any means.

Instead of dwelling on her inevitable imprisonment, Zelda spent some time entertaining various ideas on how to give Link the slip. The Shrine at the top of the Rayne Highlands was not strictly urgent but she would prefer it if she were left to her own devices to explore it for herself. She had promised Impa that she would always notify her Sheikah Guards if she planned to go anywhere and she had no intention of betraying Impa’s trust. Plus, they would undoubtedly notice her absence even if she said nothing to them. So, she would not attempt to dupe them, but avoiding Link would be challenging. Unless…

_He tends to sleep in later than I do in the mornings. Perhaps then I could try?_

The idea was highly appealing and she decided to make an attempt when they stopped at Tabantha Stables. It only took them two days to get there.

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

Link, now separated from his comfy bed and making due with the canvas roof of the stables, was perfectly awake come sun rise. It was the morning after they had stopped at Tabantha Stables and the view was beautiful. The warm golden glow of the sun just peaking over the mountains to the east set a stark contrast against the deep blue of the clouds heavy with snow from the west. He did not really feel the warmth that it offered but he was not especially bothered by the cold either.

He had chosen to settle himself on the stable roof the evening before to watch people come and go. A few people had pointed up at what they considered to be an Envoy of Farore, but Link was not to be distracted. From his position he was also able to keep an eye on the horses kept here, enjoying how happy and healthy they looked. They were clearly well cared for.

A wave of longing for his own horse overcame him. Cinnamon, his sister’s idea, was a calm and docile creature and not what you would consider a war-horse at all. But Link had fallen in love with her doe eyes the moment he’d seen her and she was incredibly sturdy and boasted great stamina. Those were much more important qualities to him than sheer brute force.

This early in the morning, however, hardly anyone was awake. A couple of stable hands were about, starting their daily tasks and attending to the horses in their care. 

Just as Link was wondering who would take care of his horse now that he was ‘away’ he spotted a cloaked figure walk out of the inn and towards the horse stalls. They walked purposefully, without looking left or right as they tried to feign confidence. Unfortunately, their swift pace and cloaked visage made them very noticeable. Link raised a scaly eyebrow.

 _If you want to look any more conspicuous you may as well wear a sign_ , he thought, but he sighed internally when he realised that there was no-one else about to notice the person’s strange behaviour.

Aggrieved, Link got up from his perch and followed the culprit along the roof until they made their way towards a stall at the back of the stables. The stall that contained Zelda’s horse; her pure white stallion. Link slinked down from the canopy above to land on one the wooden dividers between the stalls. An occupant of the said stalls gave Link a brief sniff before snorting and Link continued to keep a low profile as he caught up to the mystery figure. 

Just as he was about to pounce he saw a flash of blue peaking out from beneath the dark cloak. 

_Princess!_

Stalling his momentum, he dropped to the ground and darted behind a support post to keep himself out of her line of sight. He froze, unsure how to proceed, and heard the Princess catch the attention of a meandering stable hand.

“Excuse me, could you help me with readying my horse? Apologies, but I am unused to do doing this by myself.”

“Right away, your highness! Shall I also ready the horses for your … guards?” The boy asked, clearly unsure how to proceed as he saw no-one else with her. It was at this point that Link also noticed the distinct lack of her Sheikah Guards. They had definitely all congregated at the stables yesterday. There was no way she had managed to give them the slip. Had she? 

“No, thank you. They are aware of where I am going and it is not far across the bridge. The Sheikah assigned to me are already waiting for me,” she smiled, none the wiser to Link’s steadily rising panic as he hid out of sight.

 _You liar!_ He screeched within his mind, astonished that she could do so with a completely straight face. _They would have told me otherwise!_

Unless… they wouldn’t. The Sheikah Guards got their orders from Impa, who was working for the Royal Family. Link, while also technically employed by the Crown, was possibly being tested to see whether he was truly capable of defending the Princess in his current shape. Such a thought made him uneasy.

Still, the Princess appeared to have every intention of leaving the relative safety of the Stables, without any evidence of a guard. It was Link’s duty to follow by any means necessary. His role of Appointed Knight had been assigned to him by the King, whether the Princess liked it or not. Link sympathised, he really did, but he could not and would not turn a blind eye to her wilful disregard for her safety.

As the stable hand outfitted the Princess’s horse for travel, Link saw his opportunity to hide in her travel bag. It had been left on the floor, the flap slightly ajar from where the clasp had come undone. Diving for the bag, he wiggled his way inside and lay gingerly on top of her belongings. He was careful to make sure his tail wasn’t poking out lest he give himself away and then he was lifted off of the floor and affixed to the side of Zelda’s horse.

 _She’s going to be furious when she finds me in here,_ Link despaired, because she would absolutely find him eventually. As soon as she reached into the bag to retrieve any one of the items already in there, she would encounter Link.

He was not looking forward to that.

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

At first he’d had no idea where she was going. The impromptu early morning departure had disorientated him a little but he was quickly catching up with the situation. Nudging the bag open slightly afforded him a view of the outside and he could see that they were back on the road that led towards Rito Village. However, once they crossed Great Tabantha Bridge, instead of continuing on along the road, the Princess swerved her horse to the left.

Link sent a silent apology to her mount. He deserved more forewarning than that. As expected, the horse snorted and deviated from the Princess’ intended path and only her tense grip on the reigns prevented him from trotting off too far.

“No!” She hissed, “this way!”

The horse snorted again and Link felt uneven hoof steps against the ground ripple up through his body. The irregular rhythm of the horses pace eventually evened out into a trot and then they were slowly travelling up an incline. A quick inspection of the outside world showed Link nothing but the giant canyon that encircled the West and Northern parts of Hyrule. He tried to think of why the Princess had asked for this detour but nothing came to mind.

The rising slope continued on for at least another half hour before the Princess’ mount levelled out and came to a stop. Link almost had a heart attack when the bag he was hiding in was lifted away but it was only the Princess swinging it over her shoulder as she dismounted from her horse.

Risking another look to gauge their surroundings, Link peered out to see a lot of dilapidated structures and some fallen columns. It was then that he spotted the true reason for this little side trip; dead ahead of them, sitting proudly at the top of the Rayne Highlands, was a Shrine.

 _Of course!_ Link berated himself, _she mentioned this Shrine when she spoke to Revali. We only saw it briefly on the way back…_

If he could have risked it he would have smacked himself in the face.

Unaware of Link’s mental diatribe, Zelda was feeling very pleased with herself.

Here she was, out in the world with no visible witnesses or chaperones, all alone with a Shrine that no-one else had examined yet. She inhaled deeply, enjoying the crispness of the oncoming winter before setting herself to work and dropping her satchel on the ground.

It took the better part of an hour to scour the entire structure, noting each and every detail and taking a photo of the surroundings. Zelda found that snapping an image of a location of interest was more efficient than trying to capture the scene with words. Details that she was not aware of at the time were lost, but a still image could be kept forever.

There was some moss and lichen growing on the pedestal at the front of the Shrine and Zelda scratched off a bit with her nail before wrinkling her nose and reaching for her satchel.

“This is why I brought my tools…”

As she reached inside the bag to grab the right tool, Link tried his best to manoeuvre himself out of the way but her hand still brushed up against him. He froze and so did she. 

Just when Link thought he might have gotten away with his hiding spot Zelda’s hand seized him about the middle in a vice like grip. He let out a pitiful wheeze as she held him tightly, forcing out a lungful of air, and ripped him from the bag. She held him up, right in front of her face. 

Link had been right, she was livid. 

"YOU!" She shrieked, eyebrows furrowing dangerously as she glared at him, "am I to be constantly cursed by your presence? Not even a moment to myself? I am perfectly capable of travelling a short venture alone with my thoughts thank you very much. I do not need you to accompany me, especially as tiny and ineffectual as you are now. I have the Sheikah with me, I do not need you!”

She continued to hold him, giving him no choice but to bear witness to her anger.

“Nothing to say? Well, you can go back to the Castle, tell my father everything that I’ve told you and then you can stop following me!" 

With that she stood to her full height and reared her arm back, with Link still firmly clutched in her fist. For one wild moment he was sure she was going to throw him as far as she could off the side of the cliff. He couldn’t fly and they were a long way up from the road below, it would hurt. But she didn’t. She continued to hold him with her arm wound back for several moments before all the fight rushed out of her and she sagged, letting him drop to the floor. 

He didn’t move from his haphazard position in the grass as Zelda's knees hit the dirt beside him. She bent over slightly so that her hair fell forward to frame her face. A tired sigh escaped her. 

"Just... get back in the bag and stay out of my sight ... please." 

Link did as he was told, unable to shake the feeling that he had done something wrong. Despite all logic telling him otherwise as he got back into her bag.

He was _not_ sulking. Knights didn’t sulk.

Zelda continued to assess the Shrine and she was admittedly surprised that Link didn’t try to make more of a nuisance of himself. As soon as she had reprimanded him she felt guilty – he was here to do his job, a job she kept making exceedingly difficult for him – but whenever she peeked over at her bag she could see that he hadn’t moved. His head was resting at the opening and he was staring fixedly ahead, looking back down the slope away from the Shrine. Keeping watch but not trying to stop her from what she was doing or convince her to move on. 

The guilt bubbled in her stomach.

 _Still, is asking for a moment alone really so much?_ Zelda wondered, while another voice answered, _it is when you’re the Princess._

She wallowed in self-pity for a moment before remembering her next destination; Gerudo Town. A place full of warriors and home to one of her Champions. A place that did not allow men.

Zelda side-eyed Link again, who was still unmoving in the satchel bag, and hummed thoughtfully. _Yes, that would work out nicely._

She stood up from the ground, dusting off her thighs from where flecks of aged moss had been scraped off from the Shrine, and turned her attention to Link.

“Sir Link?”

One of his long, floppy ears twitched back slightly at the title, but he turned his head around obediently to look at her. It was weird how he managed to look behind him just by swivelling his neck and not the rest of his body.

“Since you are determined to stay by my side, I am informing you now that we will now be heading to Gerudo Town. We must return to the stables so that Melo and Radi can retrieve their horses and then we’ll be off. Vacate my bag, please,” Zelda requested, tools already collected up in her hands.

Link stepped out of her bag and waited in the grass for the Princess to pack her things away. But as he went to get back in she stopped him.

“There’s no point you travelling in there, I know you’re here,” she explained, lifting her bag to fix it onto her horse, who had wandered away a little to eat some flowers. “I’ll put you on the front of the saddle instead, you can keep a look out from there.”

A miniscule sigh of relief escaped Link, thank fully it was too quiet for the Princess to hear and he acquiesced to being picked up and placed onto the horse. He gripped onto the pommel with his tiny claws, digging into the leather to situate himself comfortably. The Princess then swung herself up into the seat behind him and took the reins in hand.

“Alright then, off we go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s all Gerudo Desert related affairs in the next chapter. You know what that means ;]
> 
> I said it on tumbles but I'll say it here too: I’d like to give a shout out to my regular commenters. I always look forward to seeing your thoughts every time I update. That isn’t to say I’m not appreciative of everyone who has commented (you know who you are) because I am, but I can usually expect a comment or two from my regulars and that’s a nice feeling to have. It REALLY keeps me going, I cannot express this enough. So, THANK YOU.


	9. Shifting Sands

Gerudo Town, situated in the open expanse of the desert and sheltered by the cliffs of the highlands around it did not suffer such capricious phenomenon such as seasons. As such, it was often a popular place for those less tolerant of colder weather to travel to. It also boasted one of the busiest trading hubs in all of Hyrule. While Castle Town exchanged goods for coin, the Bazaar operated mostly on trading items of similar worth back and forth between merchants. Of course, men were not allowed inside the town itself, and therefore took much enjoyment from the Bazaar, but everyone else was given free passage in and out of the city.

Melo would be able to keep an eye on the Princess beyond the protective outer wall of the Town while Radi would have to remain behind, scouting out the trade market. After rubbing it in his face a little she had entered the town ahead of the Princess to integrate herself within the crowds. 

It had been agreed a head of time that the two Sheikah Guards would be keeping watch over their surroundings, while the Princess’ personal safety would be guaranteed by Urbosa herself. Neither of the Sheikah had felt the need to challenge this arrangement as it also suited an ulterior motive of theirs to scout out the area for any Yiga bandits. However, it became apparent that Link and the Princess were of two minds about whether he would be going into the city with her or not.

“Now you will stay out here. Men are not allowed inside these walls,” the Princess said, primly, as they reached the front entrance to Gerudo Town. She waited for the little dragon to move off of her shoulder but he didn’t budge.

Link had looked over himself incredulously before staring back up at the Princess. He was currently three inches high, covered in scales and a completely different species. Not to mention he was meant to be an Envoy of the Goddesses. She couldn't be serious. He hadn’t really thought about whether he’d be allowed in the town or not until this moment, but now he couldn’t see why he _wouldn’t_ be allowed.

Urbosa watched this short interaction from where she waited for them, leaning against the outer wall of the town, and she laughed with her face tilted up towards the sky.

“You are correct, Princess, and it is a law that extends across most species, though I've never had to judge access for a Dragon before,” Urbosa mused, bringing forward one hand to pick Link off of the Princess’ shoulder with her thumb and forefinger. 

“What do you mean ‘judge access’? Absolutely not, he’s staying outside!” The Princess declared.

In a moment of clarity, as Link’s long body hung down from Urbosa’s grip, he realised what this was really about. His anonymity could easily barter him access and Urbosa knew that, a mischievous smirk quirking her painted lips as she watched him. However, that wasn’t the problem. The Princess knew who he was and she didn’t want him inside. Didn’t want him following her.

Link was starting to become uncomfortable, held as he was at the Gerudo Champion’s eye level, and he instinctively wrapped his tail around Urbosa’s wrist to support his body weight. Seeing this, she flipped him neatly into her palm instead, getting a good look at him.

“I understand that Link is usually a voe, but at this time he is a dragon and also an Envoy of Farore, no?” 

The Princess worked her jaw before words spilled out, as if she just could not help herself. “Supposedly, Dragons are sexless and I doubt they’d be burdened by such mortal concerns like gender.” 

It was a wonder Link didn’t react with more than a slow blink. He fought the urge to look down at himself but that little piece of information explained _a lot_. His tail tightened around Urbosa’s wrist, out of worry or as a warning neither of them knew.

Urbosa smiled, “that just argues in his favour rather than against it, but I do not believe he has entirely lost his sense of self. You are still more voe than Dragon at heart, are you not, Link?”

It was a loaded question, with an even weightier answer. While Link would have dearly loved to have a very overdue conversation about how he was never really sure if he was one way or another, he gave a slow nod. 

Everyone knew him as a Voe so it was the easiest answer for the moment. Plus, now was not the most opportune time to be arguing the toss about his identity. The Princess had come all this way to use the Gerudo Town law as a loophole in order to separate herself from him. He could see that now and he wasn't about to insist he follow her into one of the most heavily guarded towns in all of Hyrule. Maybe one day he would sit down and discuss this topic with Urbosa, but for now he trusted her to keep the Princess safe while she was inside and he would be waiting for when she came outside again.

A perfectly plucked eyebrow rose in mild surprise at his response, but she accepted his answer at face value and turned away from the Princess. Taking Link with her.

“Then it’s settled. The Dragon will stay out here,” Urbosa declared, sticking Link to the outside of the outer wall surrounding the town and forcing him to dig his claws into the sandstone lest he fall off. “He can return to his duties when you step foot outside of the town and while you are inside you will have the protection of your Sheikah guard and the full might of my military.”

The Gerudo Champion winked at him before she turned away and placed an arm around the Princess’ shoulders, guiding her into the town.

The two guards stationed on either side of the archway watched them go in before they switched their gazes to Link. They had not overheard the conversation, fixing their attention elsewhere while their Chief spoke to the Princess of Hyrule but this dragon – of all things - had been denied access. They were going to keep it that way.

Unwilling to test his luck, especially after turning down the chance to lie, Link carefully crawled his way up the wall and settled on top. It was actually quite comfortable, with the sun baked stone warming his underbelly and the sun exposing every visible landmark for miles around. He could easily do his job from up here and the lack of convenient hiding places anywhere near the town put Link slightly more at ease.

There was a Shrine though.

He ended up squinting at it for so long that he did not notice Urbosa coming back out of the town. When he caught sight of her, she was watching him carefully, one eyebrow steadily rising the longer he maintained eye contact. Unsure of what she wanted from him, Link scooted forward a little bit so that he was very definitely on the _outside_ part of the town.

“You could have argued you were not voe anymore, been granted access, but you’re an honest type aren’t you?”

Unable to answer vocally, and vaguely uncomfortable with agreeing with such an observation, Link merely blinked at her. Urbosa did not seem to require a response.

“I might be able to make this work yet,” she said, cryptically, and then she brought her first two fingers up to point at her eyes and them turned them on Link. “I’m watching you.”

If Link moved any further forward he’d fall off the wall.

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

Zelda had been waiting for Urbosa to rejoin her in the central square of the town. When she spotted the Gerudo Champion returning she was looking back over her shoulder - perhaps to check that Link didn’t decided to try and sneak in behind them after all.

“How interesting. He really is prepared to just stay outside all day. I thought he’d put up more of a fight to be let in,” Urbosa said, looking forward again and placing an arm around Zelda’s shoulders and giving her a quick squeeze.

“I suppose he’s not completely senseless. He must realise how foolish it would be for him to try and access this city without your permission,” Zelda pointed out, though inwardly she was just as surprised.

“Permission he could have bartered for easily. Given his current form.”

Zelda looked up to her Gerudo Champion sharply, “you wouldn’t have.”

“I understand that you intended to use this Town’s laws to have him removed from you and that would have worked effortlessly – I would also have applauded you for such cunning – but in Link’s current form that law holds very little weight against him.”

“But he’s still Link!” Zelda hissed under her breath, aware that the square had quite a few people milling about.

“Yes, he is, which is why I wanted to ask him how he views himself. I put the ball in his court,” Urbosa explained.

“You-“ But as soon as Zelda’s ire began to rise she realised what Urbosa meant. “You gave him a choice, he could have answered that he wasn’t Voe and you would have let him in.”

The Chief laughed, characteristically deep and joyous, “oh, I wouldn’t have let him in!”

“But … if he didn’t think of himself as a Voe then why wouldn’t you?” Zelda asked, now thoroughly confused.

”Oh Little Bird,” Urbosa whispered as she guided Zelda up the Palace steps, “I wouldn’t have allowed him to follow you when you evidently did not want him here. But, he did not insist on following you. He made the choice to stay outside this town on his own.”

Zelda’s mouth made a small ‘oh’ as the impact of Urbosa’s question dawned on her.

“He … voluntarily left my side … do you think he knew?”

“Well, he is your appointed knight,” Urbosa pointed out, striding into the throne room. “Naturally, he must be fairly perceptive.”

Zelda didn’t have a response to that. 

Urbosa nodded to the guards standing to attention within and they followed her up the stairs, coming to a stop at the top and effectively blocking off the staircases on either side to prevent any unwanted visitors.

The Gerudo Champion’s room was an open space with a large four poster bed pushed up against the back wall. The walls were covered in commissioned artwork displaying various areas of the desert, such as the palm trees and oasis by the Bazaar, and the ancient ruins to the north. Zelda’s favourite was a piece depicting a large skeleton of a long-extinct leviathan class creature located in the far western area of the desert. She had wanted to go for such a long time but it was a long way to travel and sandstorms were common in that region. The rest of the room was taken up by various brightly coloured throw rugs on the floor and unlit lanterns on tables lining the walls.

Distracted by her thoughts, Zelda barely registered herself being sat down onto the bed as Urbosa sank to the floor beside her, leaning against her knees. She was still a little unsure about how she should feel in regards to Link’s decision. 

“I can hear you over-thinking this, Little Bird,” Urbosa murmured. “I would have thought you’d prefer to think of anything but that boy.”

“It’s just so … contrary to what I expect of him. He follows me everywhere even when I tell him plainly not to. I even began to wonder if the laws of Gerudo Town would be enough to keep him out!”

“I have noticed that you are treating him more fairly now that he is a dragon than you did when he was human.”

“A Dragon should be handled respectfully that’s all,” Zelda sniffed.

Urbosa huffed a laugh at the excuse, “is that so? You were keen to remind me earlier that this Dragon _is_ still Link, a person who you would avoid interacting with unless specifically told to do so. I will always support you, Zelda, but he is just trying to do his best the same as you.”

“Yes, but it just so happens that his best is so much better than mine!” Zelda cried, throwing herself back to lie against the bed covers.

“That isn’t his fault. Nor is it yours. He just got lucky being at the right place at the right time in his youth. Although…perhaps this is the trade off for that luck,” Urbosa trailed off, looking out of the room towards the front entrance where Link was undoubtedly still sat on the wall.

Another sigh escaped Zelda, an explosive release of air and energy. She came here to get away from thoughts like this but Urbosa would always tell her what she needed to hear, not necessarily what she wanted to hear.

“I’m…trying. I am. I’m just so frustrated all the time and he’s handling all of this so well.”

“Appearances can be deceiving,” Urbosa pointed out and Zelda was suddenly reminded of the first night Link had spent in her room. The display of emotion he had desperately tried to conceal in the aftermath of his transformation. Her heart sunk.

“You’re right. As always.”

The older woman chuckled lightly, nudging Zelda’s shins with her shoulder, “but of course! Why else do you come to see me.”

“Urbosa! That is simply not true,” Zelda admonished, sitting bolt upright to squint at her Champion.

“Then how about we actually do something fun? Just to shake things up?”

Zelda paused.

“What did you have in mind?”

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

The day passed by, excruciatingly slowly for Link, who had not moved from his spot a top the wall and had since become something like a statue. The guards below him had started to joke that if any Voe dared to test their luck, the statue would come to life and burn them to ash. Oddly enough, the amount of men trying to barter their way into the town decreased considerably that day.

“It’s pitiful really,” said one of the guards, shaking out her long ponytail briefly before tying it back up, “here we are standing guard all day long and a tiny dragon who hasn’t moved an inch in the past few hours manages to deter more pests than we do.”

“True,” said the other, “but that’s because dying by dragon fire is probably not a great way to go. I get the impression these voe actually enjoy being threatened by us.”

The first guard made a disgusted noise and Link could see her roll her eyes as she stamped her glaive further into the sand. “They’re delusional if they think they could ever be good enough for us.”

It was true, Link had already witnessed first hand how quickly these guards could dispatch any of the voe testing their luck and so efficiently too. It was a beautiful sight to behold. However, there had been times where their dispatching methods had been painful to witness. Like watching a man get nailed in the crotch by the pole end of one of those glaives. Link would have winced in sympathy if the guy hadn’t clearly had it coming to him for being so mouthy and pushy. 

Years ago, before he had come forward with the Master Sword there had been a moment where he had been young and overly confident. After remaining undefeated from a string of spars he had brazenly offered up anyone to come try their luck, obviously believing that no-one could best him at that point. A fellow trainee had taken up his offer and stepped up to fight him. Within seconds of the match starting she’d dropped him to the floor by swiftly bringing her shin up between his legs.

He’d then spent the next five minutes curled up on the floor trying not to cry into the dirt and failing. But he’d learned two very valuable lessons that day. One, don’t get cocky as luck plays just as much of a role in a fight as skill and it will run out eventually. Two, learn how to dodge backwards quicker. 

His sparring partner had been gracious enough at the time to not rub it in his face further. Instead, she had openly expressed how pleased she was that their little match had brought Link’s humility back. And she never let him forget it. Thank fully, he had never had to suffer that situation since and his new body apparently didn’t have such vulnerabilities. Still, he wondered what she was doing these days. Last he heard she had passed the initiation exam to become a member of the Castle Guard.

Link was drawn out of his reverie when he heard a shout and a clanking of metal against metal. The Guards were raising their weapons up towards his space but he hadn’t moved a muscle.

“Oi, no admittance to Voe!”

Blinking, Link looked behind him to see what they could be looking at and nearly startled himself off of the wall. Radi was crouched right beside him, balancing precariously on the very edge of the wall. He gave a two-finger salute to the guards below.

“I am aware of your laws and have no intention of breaking them. I am here to ensure the Princess’ safety nothing more. You have my word I will keep to the outside of this wall,” Radi said and Link realised he hadn’t actually heard the man speak much when not in the Princess’ presence. His words were formal but his tone was relaxed and calm.

The guards nodded with a ‘very well’ and returned to keeping on eye on approaching travellers from the Bazaar. No further action.

“Do you mind if I sit here with you? The Bazaar can only be scouted so many times,” Radi asked, still crouching on the balls of his feet. “There’s nobody around who can reach us in the next five minutes so it’s ok to relax for a bit.”

Link shuffled aside slightly to make room for the Sheikah to sit which he did; letting his legs dangle over the side of the wall.

“Thanks. Haven’t had much time to just stay in one place for a while.”

Link had nothing to say to that and continued to survey the horizon line, unsure as to why Radi had chosen to relax right next to him. Unless he planned to have a conversation, which would be over before it even started.

“Focused aren’t you? Did you actually ever have any Sheikah Training? You’re as patient and disciplined as one.”

A conversation it was then. Drawing his bright eyes away from the Bazaar in the distance Link turned to look up at Radi, properly studying him for the first time. Both he and his sister had a gymnasts build, no doubt born from training their agility over pure strength, but neither were particularly tall. An excessive height would surely be a disadvantage to cloaking themselves in any given space. Yet, where Melo had chosen to simply keep her hair cropped short at all times, Radi’s was tied up into a plait running between his shoulder blades.

It was unusual to find another warrior who also chose to keep their hair long. Link wondered whether Radi also had to deal with multiple people telling him to get it cut.

In answer to his question, however, Link rocked his head from side to side. He had gotten _some_ Sheikah training from Impa but none of it was officially sanctioned and he’d certainly never been to Kakariko. Link was almost jealous of the fictitious version of himself in the cover story.

“You sort of have training? Master Impa I’m assuming.”

 _You assume correctly,_ Link thought and he nodded.

“Good,” he said, his attention returning to the desert. They remained quiet for another few minutes before Radi spoke again, “I’m glad you approved of our involvement in the Princess’ security when outside of the Castle.”

Link didn’t really want to admit that his decision in the matter had pretty much been forced, but he was also glad that they had been assigned. While he had some semblance of pride in his work it was not worth risking the Princess’ life over. He was just glad that he was still able to guard her at all, even if the Princess wasn’t.

“Being able to keep on eye on the Princess has greatly helped Impa keep track of how she is doing.”

Something in Link’s gut constricted at that and he cast a sidelong glance at the Sheikah through narrowed eyes. _Was Impa reporting directly to the King?_

Radi took notice of his expression and raised a placating hand, “Master Impa is worried for her Highness’ health. Nothing more. She fears that the Princess is deteriorating and while that is an issue for the Kingdom at large should this prove to hinder her ability to unlock her sealing powers … it is also detrimental to her as a person. That is what Impa is more concerned with at this time.”

Link hadn’t realised how tense he had gotten but as Radi finished his explanation he felt the muscles along his back uncoil. _So, Impa isn’t reporting to the King and if she is she’s holding things back. Good to know._

It was also a good thing that Link was unable to talk or give reports himself. Personally, he didn’t much care if the Princess went on research trips or spent her time helping the Sheikah uncover their history. To him, that aspect of combating Calamity Ganon was just as integral as the Sealing Power and the Master Sword. He witnessed first hand how dedicated the Princess was to her prayers and not a day went by that she missed her daily devotions. Not once. 

But he was her protector, her guard, and the first rule about personal guards was not to get emotionally attached to your charges. When their wants become second to their needs, that’s when a guard become’s compromised and they can no longer make the best choices in regards to their charge’s safety. 

It wasn’t his business and his opinion was unwarranted.

When Link gave no indication of an emotional response Radi inhaled deeply before letting it out in a controlled breath. He propped himself back up into a crouch ready to dart off again but before he went he left Link with one last thing to mull over.

“Despite what the Princess believes, we know you wouldn’t pass judgement on her. But what the Princess really needs right now is a friend. Support… and you’re the only one who can be there for her at all times.”

Link watched as Radi slunk down onto the ground below, zipping across the sand like a cloak caught in a breeze, as his brain ground to a halt. 

_A friend? It may be what she needs, but is that what she wants?_

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

Night was setting and most of the travellers had returned to the bizarre. Once the sun set, Gerudo Town was closed off from the desert until the sun rose again the next day. The guards were called inside to man the inner perimeter instead.

Link had not seen hide nor hair of Urbosa or the Princess all day but Melo had dropped in beside him on the wall at one point to inform him that the Princess had left the confines of the Town. He’d been ready to get up and run in any given direction but a gentle hand on his back had eased him back down onto the wall.

“Easy, Urbosa is with her, along with Urbosa’s own body guard. Radi is tailing them also. Please relax, Master Link. It’s not just the Princess Impa is worried about, you know.”

Melo had skipped her way back to the other side of the wall before she could see the utter confusion on Link’s face. A pity, as such exaggerated expressions were a rare sight on Link’s visage these days. Yet, her words had stuck to him for the remainder of the day, with his wings fanned out on either side of him to soak up the last of the sun’s rays before the temperature plummeted.

Vah Naboris had stomped around in the southern part of the desert for a bit and Link guessed that was where the Princess had ended up. The clouds of sand kicked up from the Beast’s heavy footfalls obscured most of her form from view. Right now though, the machine lay dormant just a few hundred yards away from the Town. 

Just as he was starting to wonder how long the Princess was planning to stay in Gerudo Town – and whether he should find somewhere to sleep soon – he heard a hiss from below.

Blinking slowly, fatigue steadily catching up with him, he peered down to see Urbosa standing in the entrance way to the town.

“Still awake up there?” She asked, leaning back against the wall and tilting her head back so she could see him.

As he stood up, he felt his joints creak from lack of use all day and he stretched a little to relieve some of the stiffness. Urbosa barked a laugh. 

“You remind me of a ferret. Albeit a scaly one.” When Link didn’t respond to that she huffed, “come on down here. The Princess and I are going to take Vah Naboris out for a late evening wander, but I’d like to have a chat with you.”

Immediately, Link was filled with apprehension. Urbosa was an incredibly intimidating person and she was also incredibly close to the Princess. He didn’t want to get on her bad side.

The Gerudo Champion offered her hand out for Link to jump into and he did so.

“So, here’s the deal. I want you to get onboard Vah Naboris and stay hidden while I go and retrieve the Princess. Try to keep out of sight until long after the sun has gone down, the Princess will be asleep by then.”

Link did little more than blink in answer but when Urbosa raised an eyebrow he was quick to give a more obvious nod.

“She’s had a long day and unfortunately your presences stresses her out. It’s not your fault but we can try to avoid it. So,” Urbosa leaned down to tip Link onto the sand in front of the Town’s now closed gates. A pair of guards stood watch, looking out from inside the town as their Chief walked back in. “You had better make your way over there. Try not to dawdle and I should see you soon, Champion!”

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

Link hadn’t thought walking to Vah Naboris would be that intensive.

His first mistake had been misjudging how difficult traversing the terrain would be. Sand was not like snow. Snow clumped together under his feet as he walked over it, compacting down to take his weight, as light as he was. Sand, on the other hand, would suck in anything and his small feet sunk straight through the tiny grains of sand and much of his energy was lost in the dunes.

His second mistake was forgetting the sheer size of Vah Naboris. Even though she was still currently lay down, with her legs crumpled up underneath her, scaling up her exterior was a challenge. Thankfully, it’s rough texture and detailed plating made finding foot holds very easy for a creature of his size. However, it was still a very long climb.

Mid-way through Link’s ascent, Vah Naboris wailed and started to move. In a panic, Link had started to leap and lunge his way up until he reached a convenient ledge on the outside of the Beasts body, frantically scraping at the ancient surface to gain purchase.

Now safely on board the Divine Beast, Link decided to rest for a moment and re-collect himself. It was also giving his heart a chance to slow down. He’d never had to make such an ascent before – relative to his current size – but having claws definitely made free-climbing a lot easier. Flattening himself out on the small ledge, he lay down against the cool stone-like surface of the Divine Beast and just listened to whirring of internal gears and felt the rise and fall of the machines legs as it walked.

It soon stopped it’s journey across the desert, now facing a set of cliffs that hid the Baobab Grasslands behind it. The mechanical hum of the Beast’s internal components still ticked away in the background.

Following Urbosa’s directions, Link waited until well after the sun had gone down before making a move to scout out the inside of the Divine Beast for the Gerudo Champion. All of his recent patrols through the Castle had taught him to be extra careful around corners – look round first – and to stick close to any available walls and small hiding spaces. 

Besides all of the Beast being made out of the same composite material and sharing similar motif designs, the layouts inside the machines themselves differed drastically. While Ruta maintained it’s flow of water and Rudania had a heart of lava, Naboris had an energy conduit running down it’s spine. At least, Link assumed that’s what it was. It crackled with electricity, a bolt of lightning trapped inside a narrow strip of light that connected one end of the Divine Beast to the other. He wondered what it led to, or where it even started.

Link was tempted to see whether touching it would hurt him given his resistance to both the cold and fire, but he could not afford to be distracted right now. Also, if he was hurt there wasn’t anyone around to hep him.

As it was, he did not encounter the Princess or Urbosa until he walked back out of Vah Naboris to find them both located on one of the Beasts side balconies. They were sat on a blanket that had been woven with differently coloured threads, looking out at the night sky and the open desert. There did not seem to be rhyme or reason to the colours or the patterning of the blanket, but Link had already determined that Urbosa simply liked things that looked bold and chaotic. If the outrageously bright outfitting her horse wore was any indication. It was quite peaceful up here. Very quiet.

A quiet he must have disturbed with the sounds of his skittering claws against the floor for Urbosa partially turned her head to one side before speaking aloud.

“You can come out you know. She’s fast asleep. No need to worry.”

Given the all clear, Link came forward out of the shadows and walked towards the pair. He dared not actually walk onto the blanket, however.

“You did well getting onboard and remaining unseen. Then again, with your size and the amount of space on Naboris it can’t have been that hard for you,” she surmised, casually. 

It was clear that she probably expected some sort of contradiction of her statement but as usual Link gave nothing away, treading forward a little closer to sit at the very edge of the rug.

Now that he had come closer, Link could see that the Princess was indeed deep asleep in Urbosa’s hold, her face smoothed out without a hint of tension. Her day spent with the Gerudo Champion must have been good not only for her health but also her soul. Link couldn’t help but feel pleased. 

“As you can see she is perfectly unharmed. I thank you for entrusting me with her safety,” Urbosa said and Link thought he could detect a faint note of jest to her voice but he didn’t react to it. He wouldn’t. “Now that you are here I can ask; how are you two getting along? From what I’ve seen so far it’s a fair sight better than when you two started off.”

Link shuffled where he sat, unsure how else to translate his feelings of ‘it could be better but it’s ok’ into body language. Urbosa snorted and turned away from him to play with the ends of the Princess’ hair while she slept.

“She’s trying you know. Not just with you but with unlocking this Sealing Power of hers. We went on some excavations today, she tackles it with the same determined focus as she does her sacred duties. Yet, I can see clearly how the one takes more of a toll on her than the other,” Urbosa explained, her voice sad as she gazed down at the Princess softly. “More than once I’ve had to physically drag this girl out of the freezing waters she conducts her prayers in for she refuses to move until progress has been made. Progress she is being denied, for whatever reason. She’s put in more than enough time.”

The Gerudo Champion sounded as if she were talking more to herself than to Link, her tone lamenting as she tucked a stray piece of hair behind the Princess’ ear.

“That kind of determination would save this Kingdom several times over, if only it would let her. She is very special,” Urbosa whispered and then her bright green eyes honed in on Link, “and that is why you are to defend her with your life.”

That instruction was basically the core principle of Link’s position as her Appointed Knight so he had no problem affirming that with a resolute nod. Yet, this did not seem to ease Urbosa of her concerns.

She sighed, “yet, if you were to die then the Kingdom would still be doomed. Rhoam is a fool. Blinded by this prophecy but he is only a mortal man. A scared one at that. He forgets that you are just as valuable as the Princess in regards to this prophecy.”

Link’s composure broke a little as he looked up at his fellow Champion, confounded.

_My life as valuable as hers? Never._

“Only you can wield the Sword, Link,” Urbosa reminded him and Link felt something in his core shift slightly. “You are both two pieces of the solution. You are a team against the Calamity. Without either of you the plans fails.”

 _That’s … an alarming point,_ Link considered, but privately he still considered the Princess’ life to be worth more than his own. The Calamity needed to be Sealed, which was what her powers would do. He just needed to damage it, to weaken it for her. Surely anyone could do that, couldn’t they? Did it _have_ to be the Master Sword? Was the ‘Sealing Blade’ truly that literal?

As Link got lost in thought, the Gerudo Champion studied him for a little longer. He seemed slightly bigger than the last time she’d seen him, when Zelda first introduced him in his new scaly form. Also did her eyes deceive her or were his wings now fit for his body size? Perhaps all that lounging in the sun had done him some good after all. She hummed thoughtfully before making up her mind.

“Come, the night brings a chill and we don’t want the Princess to get cold. Plus, you and I are going to have an early start tomorrow so that I can teach you how to handle your new lightning abilities.”

Link cocked his head to one side. He had actually forgotten about her offer to help him manage his new power. After all, he’d only done it the once and that was due to an emotional outburst, something he was not prone to these days. Never the less, he would not be able to trust himself around Mipha unless he knew he had a handle on it.

If he wanted to be able to see Mipha again, he would have to be a dutiful student. Urbosa did not seem to be the lenient teacher type.

“Let me show you what I mean,” Urbosa smirked and she raised an arm up, fingers extended before snapping them with a flourish.

A bolt of thunder crashed down into the desert beside Vah Naboris, sending a shudder through the floor beneath them and Link sprang in a battle ready stance, crouching low to the ground. At the same time, the Princess awoke with a startled cry. She threw herself forward onto her hands and knees, disoriented and alarmed before she caught sight of Urbosa.

“What did you do that for? Urbos-“ Then she spotted Link, “you?! How did you even- Where…?”

But then Urbosa was laughing and the Princess turned to her, now even more confused than before. She began to whine at her Champion for waking her in such a manner, and how could she be so mean, but it only made the Gerudo’s chuckles even more unrelenting. 

All the while, Link watched them and he started to imagine a time where he too might be able to get away with teasing the Princess. To make her pout turn into a begrudging smile an then finally an open grin. As a friend would.

Alas, probably not in this lifetime.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Turns out more stuff happens in the Gerudo Desert than I had originally planned for so we get TWO chapters instead of one. I'm all for the laws of Gerudo Town actually being quite flexible given the situation but it's just not an advertised fact otherwise the creeps would be trying to get in. Also non of that transphobia shit. 
> 
> Next chapter will demonstrate just how lethal Link can be. 
> 
> Thank you all so much for the wave of comments in the last two weeks, they've been wonderful to read and I'm happy that this story is still keeping you guys interested.


	10. Turning Point

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for blood and violence mid-way through. You know what time it is.

That evening on board Vah Naboris left an unshakeable impression on Link. He had caught a glimpse of something precious and rare; the Princess relaxed and laughing.

Companionable even.

It was something he would like to see again and if he did his job right he probably would be able to. But not because of him. For some reason this brought Link’s spirits low as he kept vigil a top Gerudo Town’s outer wall. Today, he had decided to let go of his neat and controlled appearance just a little bit and his back legs were sticking out behind him. Hopefully lying down this way would prevent him being so horribly stiff like the day before. It’s not as if anyone could see him up here anyway.

The Princess was due to leave tomorrow and today his time would be spent training with Urbosa. On the one hand he was excited to be trained by such a renowned warrior, but on the other he was also anxious to make some sort of positive impression on her. Any positive feedback she had for him would surely win him some good favour from the Princess. Right?

 _Why do I care?_ Link started, squashing himself down against the sandstone as much as possible in irritation. _I guard, she prays - or researches - That’s it. No other involvement necessary._

Radi’s words from the day before came to the surface of his mind and he shuffled again uncomfortably. 

“That eager for training are we? The guards tell me you’re as still as stone usually.”

Thank fully, Link’s body was as tense as it could go at present so the appearance of Urbosa led to no outward sign of surprise. He felt surprised though.

“Come. The Princess has deigned to stay within the town while I train you. She will be safe,” Urbosa assured him.

Link felt that as the Princess’ appointed knight he should at least ask for clarification on her current security situation. Unfortunately, he had no voice with which to do that. Instead, he refused to budge and frowned at the Gerudo Champion until her confusion at his behaviour turned into understanding.

“Three guards and the Sheikah. One outside my room and one each on both sets of stairs leading down from it. Then there are the guards in the atrium. Melo is actually in the room with her for company so the Princess doesn’t get bored and start to wander. Good enough for you?”

Seeing as Link was having to trust more and more other people in regards to the Princess’s safety he was getting used to not insisting that he should be the one guarding her. He stood up from the wall, warm and languid, and crawled down to the sands below.

Urbosa led him away from the town, out over the high dunes towards the desert ruins. Link wasn’t sure how she managed to make walking over sand in high heels look so flawless but he was struggling a little. Eventually he gave up on walking, with one foot at a time, and instead started to leap after her. Bounding over the sand, he developed a rhythm of motion so he could actually travel faster than his fellow Champion and they soon came to a stop. The chosen destination was a statue of the Sand Goddess, staring brazenly out towards the north with her scimitar held up proudly before her. Around the statue were the remains of the altar that used to house her with a couple of electric safflina growing at it’s base. Link made a mental note to grab them before they left for the Princess’ research. 

“Here will do,” Urbosa declared, stabbing her own scimitar into the ground and upturning her shield to sit down on it. “Now, let’s get started.”

Link sat down obediently in front of her, keeping his focus on her face, but the longer they kept up their staring match the more unsure he became. Why was Urbosa sitting down? Was she analysing him? She did have a similar expression to the one the Princess wore when she studied him. Still, he refused to fidget.

Just when he thought neither of them would be moving an inch for the rest of day, Urbosa sighed.

“I’m afraid I lied to you,” she said, slipping off of the shield to lie on the sand with her upper body braced against a column of the ruins. 

“Given what the Princess has shared with me, you have not demonstrated your electrical abilities since that display against the Hylian General. Tapidor if I recall correctly, yes?”

A hesitant nod from Link.

“I had wondered if I would be able to force you to demonstrate your powers but if it’s anything like mine – which I suspect it is – we would be here all day.” She tucked her arms behind her head and looked up into the clear blue sky, “my lightning comes from my emotions. Urbosa’s Fury is what my gift is known as amongst my warriors. An apt name. My fury made visible, my desire to protect those who depend on me in a form I can wield like a weapon. Or to pull pranks.”

She shared a conspiratorial smile with Link but it soon fell from her face when she saw his blank stare.

“What did you feel when you heard you would be removed as the Princess’ appointed knight?”

Just remembering that event brought shame to Link, but it also reminded him of his feelings of resentment and irritation. He had wanted to prove them wrong. Without a usable voice, Link just scowled.

“Anger then. Annoyance perhaps? Understandable reactions, but from you I’d call that a loss of control.”

She eyed him knowingly and Link felt like burying himself in the sand, but then he realised it wasn’t a judgemental look. She understood.

“You need to learn to let go, Link. You’re bottling everything up worse than the Princess is and that’s saying something. Whether you realise it or not. Without learning to manage your emotions, instead of just pushing them all down, you won’t be able to manage your new power either. You’re keeping everything locked in order to prevent some from escaping, but that just avoids the issue rather than dealing with it,” she patted the patch of sand next to her invitingly and he came forward to sit closer. “You were told to be ready as soon as possible, so you found the quickest solution to living with the task given to you. You’ve done well, but if you want to utilise this new power you need to allow yourself to feel. Let it fuel you, empower you. You have been given a blessing in the form of anonymity for now, I’d make full use of it if I were you.”

She tapped his back gently with her fingers before going back to staring up at the sky, thus giving him time to work through what she had said in peace.

Link was, to put it mildly, having a bit of difficulty processing. Lost in a whirlwind of conflicting ideas and thoughts, he wasn’t sure which to latch onto first. In the end, he decided to just tackle them one at a time as they popped into his head. 

His first issue was that, if Urbosa was correct, his powers were linked to his emotional state. This caused him several problems. While he appeared stoic on the outside, internally he actually felt a lot and that was why he put a blanket ban on all of them. But if he wanted to learn to control these powers he would first need to work on himself from the inside. Not an easy or quick task. 

The second problem was that if he didn’t work on the first that meant he could become prone to outbursts, like he had against the General. As Urbosa put it, his ‘loss of control’ was a brief break through his mental defences, a break he could not afford if he wanted to be safe around Mipha. One single lapse in his self control could seriously harm her.

The third and final thought brought him to the conclusion that if he wanted a solution to problems one and two he would have to open up now and again. Allowing himself to emote on a more regular basis would give him control over how his powers manifested themselves. Theoretically. At least no-one would be able to know it was their ‘Hero’ having a crisis as he attempted to express himself through trial and error.

He grumbled a little as he realised that the Princess was probably one of the better people to talk this over with. She was very good at clinically analysing a problem and suggesting an order of approach to solving it. His other choice was, of course, Mipha, who was very gifted in her dealings with the psyche and her natural empathy aided in her ability to soothe his concerns. Unfortunately, airing his problems in front of either of the Princess’ was not a good idea and he couldn’t afford to-

Link’s eyes widened a little and he felt like screaming. _I just came full circle._

Urbosa watched as the small dragon curled up in the sand, face tense as he stared off into the middle distance.

“You’re really struggling over this aren’t you?” She asked, a muffled meep sound escaped the Dragon Champion in affirmation but he didn’t look at her, preferring to wallow in his own self frustration. “When was the last time you were just yourself? Hmm? I’ve heard stories from Mipha about you when you were both younger. Apparently, you were a bit of a wild child. I wonder where he went.”

Hearing this, Link wondered where he went too. Trying to undo this blockade he had placed on himself was going to take time. Time he didn’t know if they had or not, but he would have to try. He wiggled his body deeper into the sand where it was slightly cooler against his scales, trying to ignore the sad feeling welling up inside. Then, when he caught himself repressing again, he attempted to allow it to come forth naturally. Now he just felt sad and uncomfortable.

Link moved his head across the sand to look at Urbosa and her eyebrows tilted up as she winced in sympathy. He must have looked very sorry for himself.

“You’ll get there. Just remember that if you feel something you are allowed to feel that. You are human. Regardless of your current appearance,” she added, with slight humour, and Link felt the scales around his mouth pull as he let a smile break out across his face. “Is that a smile I can see? Is that how Dragons smile? That must look terrifying on a full grown one.”

Caught up in the moment of sudden expressive freedom, he almost stuck his tongue out at her but decided that might be pushing his luck. Urbosa was still a very intimidating person who was probably not above abandoning him in the desert to build character. He wisely kept his tongue behind his teeth.

As Urbosa stood up to leave, dislodging grains of sand and dried vegetation from her skirt Link remembered to take the electric safflina with them. He darted over to the plants and neatly snipped them from the ground with his teeth before carrying them back over to Urbosa in his mouth.

“I’m flattered,” she deadpanned through a small smirk, “but I don’t really do flowers.”

Link shook his head, grateful that his scales would hide the rush of blood to his face, and sat up to make a circle motion over the top of his head. Like a crown.

“For the Princess? Ah, now _she does_ do flowers,” she said, with a bizarre emphasis towards the end of her sentence.

Link wasn’t sure what that meant but all he cared about was Urbosa carefully tucking the flowers into her belt before picking him up to make the trip back to town. The Princess would get them safely, he was sure of it.

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

At first, Zelda hadn’t considered that being kept inside all day would be so hard. She had spent days at a time in her room or her study completely of her own accord, but it seemed that when it wasn’t her choice it was harder to do.

“I just don’t know what else I can write about. I’ve written up all of my research notes, back referenced them all to previous entries following the same vein of thought and supplemented the Slate’s images with further text.” Zelda whined as she lay on her back on Urbosa’s bed, turning her head to look at Melo in the corner of the room, “how do you prevent boredom when you’re standing guard all the time?”

Melo had been brought up to Urbosa’s room to ensure Zelda’s safety, but also just to provide company. It was just as well. The Princess had since been able to bounce idea’s she had off of someone who actually understood the importance of the ancient technology. Even better, Zelda learned that Melo had previously been stationed on the Great Plateau when they uncovered the Shrine of Resurrection.

Sadly, all of Zelda’s conversations happened at an alarmingly fast pace and all avenues for discussion were covered quickly.

Even Melo was feeling a little overwhelmed.

“Well, guarding is a very mentally engaging activity even if it isn’t always physically engaging. You’re constantly watching for any changes in the scenery and utilising the other senses to back up what your eyes see. The eyes can be deceived, but tricking the other senses can be harder to achieve.”

“Oh?” Sensing another topic to explore, Zelda pushed her self up to give Melo her undivided attention. “Why only the eyes?”

A look of surprise came over the Sheikah, obviously not expecting the Princess of Hyrule to find this interesting enough to enquire further, but she was happy to answer. The Princess patted the space next to her on the bed and Melo came over to join her.

“The art of illusion was created specifically to fool people’s sights. That is why the Sheikah symbol is of an eye. We train to not only deceive the eyes of those around us but also to see the truth for ourselves. To hide ourselves from sight whilst still being able to see the world for the way it is gives us the ability to know things others will not. Disguises can also fool those not looking for it, but sound and smell are harder. You can imitate and silence a sound but swapping it for another is not something the Sheikah are capable of. Smells you can cover up with something else as a distraction, but you cannot change them. They give us away to those of keen senses.”

Zelda pondered those words, theorising for herself whether it would be possible to change a sound or smell with science rather than magical skills. Then she remembered something odd she had noticed the last time she was in Kakariko Village.

“Is that why you have cats everywhere in your village?”

Melo actually let out a small laugh before clapping a hand over her mouth and coughing slightly, “yes. Cats have a very acute sense of smell, also their eyesight is impeccable. It’s very hard to deceive a cat as they can see through illusions. Likewise with dogs, but they have a greater sense of smell and hearing.”

“So, I should invest in a cat or a dog is what you’re saying?” Zelda suggested, laughing a little at the thought of asking her father for a kitten. She already knew the answer she would get.

“Are Radi and myself not up to standard, your highness?” Melo asked, pleasantly, “granted neither of us come with fur but you don’t need to worry about feeding us.”

“Melo!”

Zelda flopped back on the bed again, chuckling at the idea of the Sheikah siblings with cat ears and tails. Oddly enough, in her minds eye it suited them. It was nice being able to have such an open conversation with someone other than one of her Champions. Sure, people in the Castle would talk to her but she always felt as if she had to be guarded about what she said to them. Any hint of her true personality could lead to yet more criticism or disapproval. The Sheikah though, they had never had a bad word to say about her for as long as she had known them. She felt safe to express herself and had let her two guards know that they could behave similarly.

“I should get back to my post, Princess,” Melo said, regretfully as she got up off the bed.

“Can I still ask you questions?” Zelda asked, turning her head to watch the Sheikah walk back to her corner of the room, looking out towards the open wall.

“Of course, Princess. I hope you never stop.”

Sadly, conversation could only take Zelda so far, especially with such an overactive mind such as hers. So when Urbosa returned from the desert Zelda immediately sprung up from the bed to ask to go to the Bazaar.

“I’ve been good,” she said, “I’ve stayed put all morning, just ask the guards, but I need to wander around for a bit, please!”

Her frantic energy was almost a tangible aura that buzzed around her but Urbosa had duties to attend to. With a guilty expression, she placed a hand on Zelda’s shoulder, drawing the energy out of her slowly as she explained her itinerary for the day. There was no time to accompany her out of the town.

“I can take her,” Melo offered, visibly startling Urbosa who clearly had not spotted her against the back corner. “The Princess will not even know I’m there.”

“I don’t doubt that,” Urbosa said, “but before you go, my Little Bird, I have something for you.”

Zelda’s train of thought was halted as her attention became caught by something new and she waited to see what Urbosa had brought. From the band of her skirt, the Chief retrieved a handful of safflina. Electric safflina; native only to the Gerudo Desert.

“Oh, Urbosa thank you! I keep meaning to collect some while I’m here but I always forget.”

As Zelda reached up for quick hug she was surprised by the words that were whispered into her ear.

“It may surprise you to know that I wasn’t the one to gift those to you.”

Pulling away, Zelda looked up at Urbosa in confusion but the older woman just tapped her nose and winked. No clues would be forthcoming then.

With that, Zelda was free to explore the bazaar. With Melo trailing behind, they left the town through one of the side entrances so that they could take a sand seal and avoid picking up Link, who had returned to watching the world go by from the main entrance according to Urbosa. Zelda felt a little bad for continuing to dodge his presence but that was mainly why she was here. Under the watchful eye of so many guards she could afford to shirk him for just a bit longer.

The cluster of activity around the oasis was hectic and loud but Zelda was able to easily slip into the crowd without drawing much attention. Everyone was far too focused on the next deal they could secure to notice their upcoming Hyrulean monarch walking past them. She found the haggling a little too aggressive for her to actually engage in but watching the battles of persuasion was intriguing. Such skills would no doubt be useful for her to learn for when she became Queen but alas all her time was being spent passively in prayer. So, since no-one else was teaching her such skills, Zelda took it upon herself to learn from others.

However, some of the language she witnessed she doubted would be appropriate at a council table.

Eventually the energy of the place became a little too much and she moved out of the main core of activity to sit in the shade under the palm trees around the outside of the Bazaar. She was confident that her Sheikah chaperones had her in their sights as she stretched her back against the trunk of her chosen palm tree and blinked out into the desert. The cliffs of the Gerudo Highlands in the distance swam in the waves of heat rising of the sands. If it were not for the elixirs that Zelda had packed she would be baking, sweaty and uncomfortable even in the shade.

The bustle and noise of people trading became background noise as Zelda let her vision drift away. An occasional breeze stirred up small dust clouds and rustled the palms above her, causing their stark shadows to sway across Zelda’s legs. Sometimes, particles of sand would catch the sun just right as the wind swept over them and it caused the dunes to sparkle. 

As another waft of hot air passed by the Bazaar, Zelda spotted something glinting in the desert. It was more than just grains of sand. Curious, she picked herself up, dusted herself off and trudged out into the desert to inspect. As she got closer she could see that it was a piece of metal wedged in the sand next to the remains of an old brick structure. No doubt one of the many old temples that used to populate the desert before the damage caused by sandstorms made them too expensive to upkeep. A shame in Zelda’s opinion, but the Gerudo had other priorities and the temples hadn’t been used in centuries.

The metal was perfectly polished and flat. It also looked incredibly sharp as it curved round in an arc. She bent down to retrieve it but when the disturbed sand began to fall away it revealed a handle attached to the metal. A handle wrapped in ribbons of black and red leather. Impa had shown her a weapon like this once and her only words of wisdom should she encounter someone with one was to run.

The sound of sand giving way a few yards behind her startled her into action and she bolted, stumbling a little as she tried run from a crouch. 

As she fled for her life, the sound of laughter following behind her, she couldn’t help but wonder where Link was. 

_Oh Hylia,_ she though in horror, _I left him behind._

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

Link was actually starting to grow bored. The Princess had refused to leave the town unless she could be accompanied by Urbosa, which meant his services were not required. Unfortunately, this left him with absolutely nothing to do. The advice he had been given from Urbosa had been playing on repeat inside his head for the past few hours but he was unsure how to actually go about doing that.

While it was true that he had chosen to keep all of his expression under lock and key to prevent the more undesirable ones slipping through – like sheer panic – his stoicism was also due to his anxiety. Around people he knew, it affected him less but now that he had the expectations of an entire kingdom his opinions were probably best kept to himself. He couldn’t be criticised if he said nothing to criticize. 

The Hero wasn’t meant to think, just swing The Sword. So, he worked to get very good at swinging swords around.

Link blinked slowly into the bright haze of the Gerudo Desert and rolled over onto his back, choosing to view the world upside down instead. A bit of variety.

His eyes drifted over to the Shrine outside of town. The last one he’d touched had reacted to him. Maybe this one would?

 _Worth a shot_ , Link decided and he rolled himself back over to wander over towards the Shrine.

While the one in the abbey had been meticulously looked after by the Sheikah, in it’s dedicated room, this one was left exposed to the elements. It showed no signs of damage or degradation due to the passage of time but a build up of sand had accumulated on it’s side. After enduring numerous sandstorms over the years, the Shrine’s detailed relief patterns had been packed in with dust and debris from the desert, losing their definition. Nobody was assessing this one.

Crouching low, Link coiled his body before springing forward off of the wall and extending his wings. It was a short glide to the Shrine’s top but the extremely smooth surface caused his feet to slip, claws scratching at nothing, and he slid clean off to land with a soft thump in the sand.

 _At least no-one saw that,_ Link thought, blowing one of his long ears out of the way from where it had flopped over his face. 

Working out where all of his limbs were, he re-gathered himself and stood up to inspect the Shrine. The sand encrusting the sides helped Link climb his way back up to the pedestal but touching it’s face did nothing. Not even a brief glow. Slightly dejected, he sat down on the flat surface to think but this was really the Princess’ area of expertise. 

He was surprised he hadn’t seen her hovering around it even once since they got here.

Unable to think of how else he could try and force a reaction from the Shrine, Link decided to do one last circuit of the structure before going back to his post atop the wall. Dropping down into the sand again, he traipsed around it’s circumference, occasionally giving sections a good sniff before passing on. Just as he was about to declare his inspection finished, a scent on a strong breeze caught his attention.

The smell of bananas. 

He vaguely remembered coming across this scent in recent memory but he couldn’t place when. Sniffing the air his nose directed him out towards the open desert and that was where he spotted two figures swimming in the heat waves. One out in front, running, with a second thinner figure pursuing. The banana scent was strongest in their direction but so was another, more recognisable scent. Petrichor; the smell that follows rain on dry earth. The Princess.

Link bolted. He didn’t bother sparing a glance back at the town for the guards, he just took off towards the running figures. How the Princess had managed to get so far away from the town he did not know, but what he did know was that neither of her Sheikah guards were with her. He had not detected any hints of the smoky incense that he associated with them. The Princess was alone and being chased.

The dunes seemed to blur past him as he ran, his gait lengthening into leaps to cover larger amounts of ground. As he came up to the base of a large sand dune he lost sight of the figures. The figures which now numbered four. 

He had to get to the Princess before they could. He must. All other concerns were forcibly stripped away with this single task at the forefront of his mind. 

Protect the Princess.

‘ _Learn to let go, Link._ ’

Putting his head down, Link charged forward up the sand dune, gaining more and more speed, sparking with energy, before cresting the dune and jettisoning himself off the peak and into the air. Snapping his wings open to catch the hot updrafts coming off of the sands, he was able to observe the world from above. The figures were clearer to see now. He honed in on the bright blue of the Princess, still moving but now trapped by the other three beings he had seen. The dark red of their uniforms and the masks covering their features gave them away. He felt a viscous rumble start in his chest which became a snarl sneaking through his bared teeth. 

Yiga. 

Two of the assassins stood behind her, preventing her escape, as another advanced on her. Too close, the Princess staggered back and fell, leaving herself wide open for attack. 

The breath in Link’s lungs vanished and his eyes narrowed to a laser-pointed focus upon the advancing Yiga. His target. He tucked in his wings, tilted himself down and fell into a dive.

Anticipating the inevitable, Zelda had her eyes shut tight and did not see Link's approach or his descent through the sky. She did not see Link's teeth and claws slice through the back of the Yiga's neck guard into the vulnerable flesh beneath, tearing through vital blood vessels as his momentum carried him around to the front of the assassins neck in a spray of arterial blood. Nor did she witness him land on the sands beside her, now bedecked in splashes of red as he ran to intercept the other two assailants behind her. She did hear the Yiga's body hit the ground though, her eyes snapping open. 

Link was standing before her, snarling with his body hunched up and his wings flared open wide as far as they would go. Arcs of electricity danced off of his body and skittered across the ground around him leaving furrows of molten sand in their wake, like tiny scars in the desert. His small stature did not diminish the intimidating display and the remaining two Yiga were understandably hesitant to approach. Link darted forward in a feint and the Yiga bolted. They had clearly not anticipated the interference of a Dragon and they soon teleported out to escape, leaving only paper talismans behind to be swept away by an arid breeze. 

With the threat taken care of, Link turned around to make sure the Princess was ok. He did a quick loop around her while she remained sitting in the sand and then came to stand in front of her, getting a good look at her face. Besides the obvious surprise and trauma of the incident she didn’t seem to be harmed.

The Princess was safe.

Link relaxed and felt the fire in his chest slowly diminish to embers. He hadn’t even realised that the electricity around his body had still been sparking slightly, rivulets of light blaring outward from the seams of his scales. The glow disappeared as Link began to breath normally again, but he was beginning to grow concerned that the Princess had yet to move.

 _Shock most likely,_ Link suspected, _but how to get her moving…_

He moved forward to try and nudge her knee with one of his feet but as he caught sight of his claws he paused. They were covered in blood. In fact, there was blood all over his front and probably his face too. He put his foot down, the Princess probably wouldn’t appreciate having little blood footprints on her clothes.

“Link,” she whispered and he tilted his face up to hers but she didn’t say anything else.

Unsure of what else to do, Link just sat down next to her. He would wait for her to remember how to move and he would keep her safe while she was vulnerable. At least until someone came looking for her. He still wasn’t sure where the Sheikah were but right now his priority was the Princess’ welfare. The body of the dead Yiga was still behind her and he really hoped she wouldn’t attempt to turn around anytime soon but so far she seemed to be transfixed by the sight of him.

Odd, usually she couldn’t stand him.

There was a light pressure on his back and he turned his head around to see what it was only to find the Princess’ fingers against his back.

“Are … are you ok?”

Her voice sounded weak and far away but Link focused on her words instead, nodding to assure her that he felt perfectly fine. Besides the minor heart attack he had suffered just moments before he felt rather calm now.

“You’re covered in blood,” she said, getting paler by the minute.

Link looked down at himself one more time before sitting upright and placing a hand against his chest whilst shaking his head.

_No need to worry, Princess. It’s not mine._

“Oh, right, it’s …” she drifted off and her eyes darted to the side as her body started to turn to look behind her.

Panicked, Link darted forward along her line of sight and let out a sharp beep to catch her attention. She jerked back to look at him and gradually Link walked back to his former spot, dragging her focus along with him. He sat back down and her body relaxed, as if it were following along with Link’s cues.

“Here,” she said, rummaging in a pocket to retrieve a handkerchief without turning her body, “let me try to get this off.”

She came forward with a square of embroidered fabric to wipe the blood away from Link’s face before delicately taking his claws in hand to clean those too. Link was too stunned to do anything other than let her, so he stayed still but flexible so that she could move him about. The majority of the blood was removed soon enough and the handkerchief now looked worse for wear but he would need a warm bath later to be completely clean. 

“There much better.”

With that done, they were back to sitting in silence again. Though the Princess no longer looked like she was about to break apart her eyes were still very wide and her face had gone clammy. 

Link was just about to try and encourage the Princess to start moving again when he heard a yell across the desert.

“Zelda! Link!”

Urbosa, riding fast on her shield as she was pulled along by her trusty Sand Seal. 

The Princess turned without thinking and immediately caught sight of the corpse behind her, lying with it’s head turned to one side on stained sand. Taking in a startled breath before covering her mouth with her hand, she scrambling backwards. Link darted out of the way and came around to her front to try and distract her again but no luck. Her eyes were focused straight on the body of the dead Yiga.

“Oh, my Little Bird,” Urbosa cried as she leapt off of her shield and crouched down to hold Zelda to her chest. She looked over the top of the Princess’ golden hair to Link and nodded. The gratitude was clear in her eyes. “Come, lets get you back to the town. You too, Link. I want you both where I can see you.”

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

True to her word, Urbosa carried the Princess in her arms and Link on her shoulder as she passed though the entrance way into Gerudo Town. None of the guards said a word about the Dragon that had previously been denied access now riding on their Chief’s shoulder. She cut a clear path through the town square where soldiers were rushing to their posts and shouting orders to each other. The place was chaos.

As Urbosa marched up the steps to the palace, Link heard one of the guards issuing commands to the citizens.

“There was an attack at the Bazaar. We need everyone inside, let us know immediately if there is anyone unaccounted for.” 

The Yiga had attacked the Bazaar. Had that been where they thought the Princess was or had it been a distraction to lure the Gerudo forces in the wrong direction? With the Yiga, it could be either but if they were willing to attack such a heavily populated area such as the Bazaar in an attempt to reach the Princess then they were getting daring indeed. A grave concern. 

Link took his time to commit the layout of the palace atrium and throne room to memory, just in case another situation broke out. The entire back wall was open to the elements, with small waterfalls cascading down from above to land in a narrow trough that ran along the back edge. Placed in front of it was an ornate seat, the Chief’s chair where Urbosa held court no doubt. It felt a lot less claustrophobic than the sanctum of the Castle. 

Up two more flights of stairs and Urbosa was now standing in front of another room, cordoned off by a set of thin curtains. Through the sheer fabric, Link could spot the outline of a bed and realised this must be Urbosa’s room.

Before the Gerudo could walk in with Link still sat on her shoulder, he leapt off of her to land on the low wall that ran along the landing outside. Urbosa paused with the loss of Link’s body weight and looked down at him. She gestured with her head down towards the Princess but Link shook his head and situated himself comfortably on the wall to look out over the town instead. There was silence from the Gerudo Champion for a moment before Link heard the sound of sliding fabric as Urbosa parted the curtains to walk into her room and then closed them again behind her.

The desert eventually cooled as the sun set behind the rise of the highlands and the residents of Gerudo Town settled too. The guards had returned from the Bazaar, none the worse for wear, escorting fellow denizens home much to the relief of their friends and family. There was a much more positive atmosphere to the town compared to a couple of hours earlier. News of the Yiga’s audacious attack on the trading hub had reached every corner of the town but Link doubted they knew the true extent of what had happened today.

The Princess had almost died. He had almost let her be killed. The Princess' wayward nature was no excuse, he knew better. He’d allowed his sympathy for the Princess’ situation to cloud his judgement and forgotten that the Princess’ life was always in danger. He’d forgotten that as her Knight nothing was more important than her safety.

He sagged against the lukewarm sandstone dejectedly, wallowing in self pity. In his mis-placed sentiments he had almost gotten the only heir of Hyrule killed. 

During Link’s despair Urbosa had come back outside. She stood directly behind him, casting a vague shadow over him as she blocked the light from the lanterns at her back. She sat on the wall beside him and rapped her knuckles against stone to get his attention.

“I want to thank you,” she started off simply.

 _Why,_ he thought, bewildered by such words given the current situation. 

“I received word from Melo and Radi this evening.”

Link skittered around to stare up at Urbosa over. _The Sheikah? Where were they?_

“It appears they were detained,” Urbosa explained quickly, straight to the point. “There was suspicious activity at the Bazaar and Radi went to investigate ahead of time but they both found themselves ambushed. The Yiga had sniffed them out. They had known they would be here and set a separate team to keep them busy while another band went after the Princess. They were not expecting you, I don’t think. Their intel must be that you’re in Kakariko. No doubt they thought this the prime opportunity to go after Zelda ... if you had not been there today... she would have died.”

Link swallowed nervously and the wall beneath him didn’t feel quite as solid as before.

_If I hadn’t have checked the Shrine, would I have noticed that smell? If the wind hadn’t blown right at that moment…_

Complete chance. That’s how lucky Hyrule was.

“You did a good thing and I can only thank you for your perseverance and tenacity. If you come with me, Zelda has some things she would like to say to you. I believe it’s along the lines of an apology.”

She gave a small smile as she stood up from the wall, cupping her hands in front of Link for him to climb into. He looked from Urbosa’s hands to her face, wide-eyed.

“Don’t look at me like that, come on. Don’t you want to hear what she has to say?”

He did but he wasn’t sure what he was going to say in return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> … I did say Link was still dangerous. Hopefully you enjoyed the more Link centric chapter this time.


	11. Personal Growth

Since being brought back to the town, Zelda had been wrapped up in a bundle of blankets and put in Urbosa’s bed. The Chief wasn’t going to be sleeping tonight anyway while she dealt with the fallout of the Yiga attack. Zelda had been dressed in a fresh set of clothes and a plate of food was waiting for her on a side table next to the bed for her eat, which was so far untouched.

The events of the day kept playing on repeat inside her head. The fear and panic of the chase, the taste of bile in her throat, and the glint of that damned sickle as it was raised high to slash through her throat. But then she hadn’t died.

She was still here. Safe and warm in Gerudo Town. All because Link had found her.

Normally guilt would be playing havoc with her heartstrings but right now she didn’t have the capacity to feel much of anything. She did want to see him though.

Urbosa had been attending to Chief business from within the room, unwilling to leave Zelda’s side lest she need anything. At some point, her Sheikah Guards appeared, ragged and bloodied but determined – Radi was given a pass by Urbosa to enter the town given the circumstances it seemed. In hushed voices they conversed with Urbosa and a moment later a set of guards were called in with new instructions to retrieve something from the Bazaar.

Zelda guessed it was yet more Yiga bodies.

The Sheikah were escorted away to have their wounds tended to by the Gerudo medics and Urbosa and Zelda were left to themselves. It took Zelda a couple of minutes to realise they were alone.

“Urbosa?” she asked, her voice still lacking the energy it usually had, “where is Link now?”

“He is outside this room, keeping watch I’d imagine.” The Gerudo Champion came to sit on the bed beside Zelda, careful not to disturb the carefully constructed cocoon surrounding her. “Would you like me to bring him in?”

“Yes, please, I- … I owe him an apology. You too.”

Urbosa leaned over to kiss Zelda’s forehead gently.

“No need, Little Bird, you’re alive. That’s all I care about, but I will fetch him for you.”

She got up to leave the bed but Zelda lunged forward to grab onto her wrist at the last second.

“Could you also bring in a bowl of warm water? I couldn’t get all the blood off of …”

She couldn’t finish her sentence but a quick glance at her hands told Urbosa that Zelda wasn’t referring to herself.

“Of course. I’ll be right back.”

Zelda was left to wait, feeling small and frail in her protective layer of blankets, as Urbosa left to call Link into the room. She was so deep in thought trying to work out how to make amends with her knight that she didn’t even react to one of the Gerudo medics coming in briefly to leave a bowl of warm water and a hand towel on the bedside table.

She had made his job so difficult; constantly trying to dodge him and expecting him to respond to her incessant rambling about this, that, and the other. All the while he was just trying to follow orders and nowhere in his job description did it say that he had to indulge her every whim. He was there to protect her from the very situation she had found herself in that day. Nothing else. It wasn’t his fault that she hadn’t gotten her powers while he had the Sword. Former Princess’ had their powers from birth while the Hero was usually the one who had to prove himself worthy.

It just so happened that this time around the requirements had been reversed. At least until her knight got turned into _a Dragon_.

Urbosa returned with Link cradled in her hands and she tipped him onto the table  next to the water basin before leaving them to their silence. A very heavy silence.

Now that he was here, Zelda had nothing to say. There wasn’t anything she _could_ say that would make up for the events of the day. He’d put his life on the line for her. He’d killed for her. The image of the Yiga’s dead body lying in the sand resurfaced and she shivered beneath the blankets.

Link remained sat on the table, watching her and probably waiting for her to start speaking – he certainly wasn’t able to. However, when she actually focused her eyes long enough to register what he was doing she caught him leaning to one side slightly as his eyes gave her a once over. Searching for something. Assessing.

“I’m ok,” Zelda found herself saying, without thinking.

Link quickly righted himself again but his posture became more relaxed and Zelda could see just how tired he was. Unsurprising, given the amount of energy he’d been giving off in the desert, but surprising for him to show it.

She gestured to the bowl of water, “I got you some water to clean up. There’s a towel there too if you want me to-“

Before she could retrieve said towel, Link had climbed into the bowl and fully submerged himself in the water. Zelda blinked as he swam in small circles for a bit before swivelling around so that he was facing the open wall. He propped his head on the edge of the bowl so that he could keep an eye on people entering the room while gradually soaking the blood and grime out of his scales. A compromise.

“That works too.”

Already there was a fine layer of sand that had sunk to the bottom of the bowl and dried flecks of blood had started to come off too. He was slightly too long to fit entirely in the water and his tail was draped over the side of the basin, dripping onto the table. Wrinkling her nose, Zelda laid out the clean hand towel underneath Link’s tail. It probably would not remain clean for long once he got out of the water again.

“So,” Zelda started, catching Link’s attention as his eyes slid over to her face, “I … um.”

Now that he was looking at her, she couldn’t seem to get her mouth to work. Never had she been so lost for words. Normally, she couldn’t stop herself. Even Link was starting to wear an expression alarmingly close to concern and worry. He lifted his head from the bowl.

“No, I- stay. Stay in the water, you-“ The Zelda noticed the blood clinging to his head feathers. “Oh, you’ve got- let me.”

She picked up the hand towel again, dipped a corner into the warm water and slowly brought it towards his face. When he did not try to move away from her she gently started to wipe down his feathers, teasing out the clumped strands.

It was obvious to Link that the Princess was still a bit frazzled and this was an attempt to delay speaking her mind but he was patient and could wait for whatever it was she had to say. Plus, it felt rather nice to be taken care of for a change. It took a little while for him to notice that she had moved on to getting rid of the dirt from his spines running along the centre of his back. At some point he’d closed his eyes.

“Link?”

He opened one eye to see her looking at him, befuddled but also … smiling?

“Tired? You can sleep if you want, I’m sure Urbosa has this place armed to the teeth right now. You’ve certainly earned it.”

The sun was setting outside, casting a bright orange band of light into the room, but he knew sleeping now was not a good idea. However much his body apparently wished for it. Link shook himself out of his fatigue, accidentally spraying water everywhere and the Princess reared back out of the splash zone.

“Right. Ok then. To the point,” she inhaled deeply and then slowly breathed back out. Here it goes. “I wish to apologise for my behaviour. The stress I have been feeling in regards to my own issues are not a just cause for my actions against you. It has also meant that I have put myself in situations where you are unable to do your job, which places me in danger. I recognise that now and I can only hope that I have not irreparably damaged our working relationship. Forgiveness is not a requirement, just know that I am truly sorry.” She fiddled with the corner of the blanket before adding, “I’m also sorry for casting dispersions about your character before properly giving you a chance.”

Having said her peace, Zelda felt something inside her heart unravel and she slumped inside her cocoon. However Link responded, she had said what she wanted to say.

For a couple seconds Link continued to just stare at her. He was glad that she now realised just how real the threat against her life was, but he would have preferred it if that realisation had happened without the near death experience. He also felt that he should be the one apologising. After all he was the one who had insisted on staying as her body guard instead of letting someone more capable take over given his diminished form. Unable to communicate all this, he gave her a firm nod instead. Apology unnecessary but accepted all the same.

Unfortunately, his answer did not seem to please her for her eyes flashed with disappointment and she pulled the blankets around her tighter. Link began to panic.

_Didn’t she want me to accept her apology? Maybe, I wasn’t clear enough,_ Link thought. _I need the Slate!_

He couldn’t see it on her but he knew she must have it nearby, so he started to climb out of the water. Dripping wet, he stepped onto the clean towel the Princess had put down and pressed his feet into the plush fibres repeatedly, drying them off. Once he was finished, he sat up to mime typing.

“You want the Sheikah Slate?” She asked, as if his desire to communicate was peculiar. Which, in hindsight, he realised it probably was.

_Is this what Radi meant?_ Link considered as the Princess leaned over the other side of the bed to retrieve something off of the floor.

He played the past few weeks back in his head while the Sheikah Slate was being set up for typing. While his time spent in the Princess’ company had been far greater than with any of the other Champions, he had interacted with her far less. Granted, she had not asked much from him but was that perhaps because she had deemed it a wasted effort? He had intentionally limited all emotive forms of communication but as a Dragon that was really all he had. The Princess had probably taken it as a sign that he was not interested with engaging with her.

_Oh sweet Hylia, did I offend her?!_

The Slate was placed down in front of him and Link practically attacked the screen once the Princess’ hands were out of the way.

[Princess, please do not feel you owe me an apology. It is my duty and set task to do everything in my power to defend you. I nearly failed in that task today even after I had insisted on continuing to be your knight. In my arrogance, I created a situation you did not approve of which led you to distance yourself from me. I also have not been the most appealing of company and I hope I have not greatly offended you with my mannerisms which are-]

Here, Link paused, with his claws barely gracing the surface of the screen. He could keep writing, which would mean revealing that he wasn’t as put together as people believed him to be. Or he could give a more factual and clinical answer. Both Radi and Urbosa had already asked him to try and be more open, with the latter stating that his habit was actually damaging to himself. Even Mipha, while understanding of his reasoning, had been sad to experience his more reserved personality.

Was it really worth maintaining?

_Courage is found through perseverance not avoidance._

[…I hope I have not greatly offended you with my mannerisms which are a personal flaw of mine and not a slight against you. I find it easier to deal with the expectations of the Kingdom if I do not express myself. People are free to project whatever opinions they have onto me to ease their own stresses. But this is not fair to you. I apologise]

Once the Slate had been pushed back towards Zelda and she read what was on the screen she felt winded. This wasn’t what she had envisioned of the Hero at all and yet … it felt right to her somehow. All at once her preconceptions about her knight went up in smoke and she was left with nothing but a blank sheet in front of her. A blank sheet she would need to fill in, but at least now she knew a few things for certain. His struggles were almost a mirror of her own. While he dealt with the pressure through evasion and smothering his own feelings, she coped through distractions and having something within her control – her research.

_Am I going to get to find out who you are, Hero?_

“Arrogance?” Zelda whispered, who now considered the thought ludicrous, “you were just trying to prove you shouldn’t be underestimated. I can sympathise with that.”

Link hopped off the table onto the edge of the bed to use the Slate again, casting droplets of water away in his wake.

[It placed you in danger]

She thought for a moment, “Link, how did you know I was in the desert?”

He paused for a moment.

[I smelt bananas]

“Bananas?” Zelda choked on a laugh, not expecting that answer at all.

[I think that’s the Yiga but then I smelt you. Like the earth after it rains]

A Hylian’s smell can only be discerned by another person and usually only if they get very close to you. Her blush was held at bay only by the fact that she finally had an answer to a question she’d been harbouring for years. _Oh, so that’s what I smell like? I can live with that._

“But then, don’t you see?” She implored, thinking back to her conversation with Melo. Had that really only just been this morning? “It was your sense of smell. No Hylian knight would have been able to detect what was happening all the way out in the desert.”

[A Hylian knight wouldn’t have let you out of their sight]

“Perhaps, but there are a limited number of people with personal guard training and none of them women. I guarantee you that no force on this earth would have compelled Urbosa to allow a voe inside of Gerudo Town, royal decree or not. I would have evaded them too. Besides, I had Melo with me, who is a fantastic guard and a knowledgeable warrior, yet she and her brother were bested. Targeted specifically to separate me. You came right when I needed you... even after you gave me the space I needed.”

At this, Link averted his eyes but Zelda lightly tapped his head to get his attention again.

“You could have given Urbosa an answer that would have allowed you into town, but you didn’t. You let me have my space and for that I want to thank you, Link. You’re a good knight.”

Link’s snout wrinkled a little as if he’d experienced something distasteful.

[A good knight puts their charge’s physical safety above their wants.]

“But are my wants not going to be reflected in my physical safety?” Zelda proposed and she saw Link stall as he went to type another answer, “I am a very stubborn creature. My attempts to distance myself from you would not have stopped.”

More typing, tiny clawed feet almost blurring in their haste.

[Are they going to stop?]

“I don’t think I need to anymore, do I? You really are just trying to keep me safe. To do what’s best for me just like Urbosa. You’re not here to remind me of my short comings or to pressure me to do better. You’re not arrogant. I used to think so but you’re not, you’re just like me. Neither of us know what were doing, do we? But we’re trying our best, even if that isn’t good enough.”

Tears had started to build up in Zelda’s eyes and just like that Link realised, _there’s no point hiding it anymore. She knows_. He flumped over sideways onto the towel and let out a huge sigh.

“Indeed,” Zelda said, simply letting the tears roll down her face as they both relaxed into silence.

Once Zelda’s tears eventually ceased, she wiped her cheeks dry with the sleeve of her night gown and retrieved the hand towel to lay it out next to her pillow.

“Here, I know asking you to sleep would be a pointless effort but I’d like it if you could stay in the room while I slept. The shadows are starting to make me jumpy.”

As she said this, Link noticed that a weak breeze was occasionally shuffling the thin curtains drawn across the open wall of the room. The flickering lamp light was starting to cast erratic patterns over the room, the illusion of an intruder coming in from the night. When had the sun gone down?

He turned back to the Princess and nodded, picking himself up from the bed and padding over to the towel. With a tiny bit of guilt he spotted that the patch on the bed he’d just left was now damp. He hadn’t actually gotten dry before launching himself off of the table after his bath. Apparently, the Princess noticed it too because she gave a small laugh at the darkened shape left on the covers and when he settled onto the towel she wrapped the sides over the top of him. Now he had a cocoon of his own.

“Thank you, Link.”

The Princess shuffled about to lie down in the bed, drawing the blankets snugly around her to keep the cold nightly temperatures at bay. Link could see her eyes peeking out over the top of the sheets but they were closed, in an effort to will herself to sleep. He was pleased to finally hear her breaths even out as she slipped into unconsciousness. It really had been a long day.

One that had ended far better than Link could have ever expected.

**\-------** **▲▲▲** **\-------**

The sun breaching over the edge of the Gerudo Highlands, spreading it’s rays over the desert, was Zelda’s wake up call. Sunlight did not come cascading into the room immediately but the sudden increase in light level was enough to stir the Princess. She grumbled, for once unwilling to get up and make use of a full day. Instead, she ducked her head beneath the covers.

“You know, it’s such a shame,” Urbosa’s voice sounded, very close by, and Zelda popped her head up to squint in the vague direction of the voice. Her Gerudo Champion came in to view, still slightly blurry, sitting on a chair next to the head of the bed where the table had been the previous night. She was looking down at a space on the bed next to Zelda’s pillow, which was hidden from her current vantage point. “For all the pros the boy has, he snores.”

Thoroughly confused, Zelda pushed herself up to see what Urbosa was looking at and forcefully blinked herself awake. There lay Link, in the most uncomfortable looking pose she had ever seen, but it must have been doing wonders for him as he continued to be fast asleep. With his back half lying flat on the bed, his back feet sticking out behind him, his upper body had twisted around completely so that his head lay upside down off the edge of the bed. His jaw was slightly ajar and Zelda could indeed hear a rumbling snore with every intake of breath.

“To be fair, Urbosa,” Zelda croaked, clearing her throat a little, “so would you if you slept like that.”

Urbosa handed her a glass of water, “thankfully, I don’t sleep with the consistency of wet spaghetti.”

Zelda snorted into her glass, causing water to spray her in the face and she recoiled with a squeak. Now she felt more awake.

The noise must have disturbed Link a little as the snoring stopped but he didn’t wake completely. Instead, he pulled himself back onto the bed and coiled his body round into a spiral so that his head could rest on his own butt. Urbosa took one look at Link’s new sleeping arrangement and gave Zelda a pointed look as if to say, ‘see?’.

Now that Zelda was more awake, she wondered when Link had fallen asleep but it looked as if Urbosa had been seated there a while if the stack of reports on the table next to her were any indication. The bowl of water had been taken away at some point too and in it’s place lay the Sheikah Slate. The Slate Zelda had left lying on the bed, with Link’s conversation still on it.

“Did you read it?” She asked, looking at the Slate rather than Urbosa.

The Gerudo followed her line of sight and back again before answering, “yes.”

“Ok.”

“Was I not meant to?”

Zelda wasn’t sure. Granted, she’d probably have told Urbosa about their conversation anyway, but only after asking Link if there were parts he’d rather no-one else know. He’d said that the stoic persona – she refused to call it his personality now – was a flaw of his. Perhaps he was working on overcoming that if he was opening up to her about it, but it could also be something he was more insecure about. They had both made progress yesterday but she still knew so little about him.

_Regardless, it’s done now._

“They were words by Link’s hand. I’m more concerned over how he will feel about it.”

“Really, now?” Urbosa asked and Zelda could hear the start of her playful tone creeping into her voice. “Since when did you start worrying about his wants?”

“When I realised he had them. Just the same as I do.”

Urbosa smiled and moved out of the chair to sit down on the edge of the bed. The extra weight caused the bed to dip slightly and Link curled up tighter, refusing to let the start of the day take him from his precious sleep.

“I’m proud of you,” she said, running her fingers through Zelda’s hair. “You’ve been through a lot in the past twenty four hours haven’t you?” Zelda sighed and leaned into Urbosa’s hand, like a child would with a comforting parent. “But, I actually knew about Link’s repression problem already.”

Zelda opened her eyes that she hadn’t even realised she’d closed, “you did?”

“Little Bird, you’d convinced yourself that he was perfect so that’s all you could see. Even if it infuriated you. The rest of us, however, were waiting for him to break. We didn’t want him to – well, perhaps Revali – but we could see that what he was trying to do was doing him no favours. Sure, the people of Hyrule are satisfied with his conduct and can sleep easy at night, but we are all in this together. Us Champions. I thought if I could get him to let go you’d have someone who understood what it means to be a child of destiny and Mipha could have her friend back, who she misses very much. I cannot always be here for you,” Urbosa turned Zelda’s face towards Link, still curled up, “but he can.”

Painted nails combed through Zelda’s hair one last time before withdrawing.

“Is that why Revali keeps needling at him? To force a reaction?”

“I think it’s more for his benefit than for Link’s. He took the Hero’s stoicism as a challenge and he was determined to see it shatter. Unfortunately, I don’t think Link cares enough for Revali’s bluster so he would’ve been at it for a while. At least it’s entertaining.”

“Urbosa…”

The older woman smirked and stood up from the bed to return to her chair and the work she needed to finish still piled up on the table. “Come on, up you get. You need to travel home today or you’ll run the risk of being blocked off by snow.”

Zelda grumbled as she pulled the blankets back up around her shoulders and wiggled her way back into bed.

“Can I just stay here? I’m not looking forward to having to tell my father what happened.”

Urbosa, who had been about to start writing, froze in her movements.

“I’ve already sent word back to the Castle. I’m sorry, but news of what occurred at the Bazaar has already been travelling fast and it would not look good if I did not give a report of the situation given your presence here too. It will arrive at the Castle before you do,” Urbosa informed her, regretfully. 

A solid lump of ice dropped into Zelda’s stomach, only for boiling panic to melt it instantly. Now she just felt sick.

“I figured.”

“You’re alive, Zelda. Just repeat that to yourself no matter what happens. You are alive and you will keep persevering. You have Link with you now and together you are a team, don’t forget that. I believe in you.”

Zelda looked to Urbosa gratefully, trying not to cry again. She pushed back the covers to climb out of bed and wrapped her arms around the Gerudo, clinging to her as if she could take even an iota of the strength the other woman possessed if she squeezed hard enough. At that moment, the other half of her destiny decided to unfurl himself into a stretch accompanied by a tiny yawn.

“Looks like sleeping beauty is finally waking up. Better get changed before he fully comes around, Little Bird.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is what happens when a conversation ends up being way longer than you imagined and has to become it’s own thing rather than being tacked on at the end of a former chapter or at the start of the next one (which you wrote about half a year ago).
> 
> Also HOLY MOLY all the comments, I love all of you. Seriously, I’m so happy ya’ll are enjoying this AU. Additionally, I have been getting some fanart, so shout outs:
> 
> [@MajorasEevee on Twitter](https://twitter.com/MajorasEevee/status/1165844261977223168?s=20)  
>  [@salty-saph on Tumblr](https://salty-saph.tumblr.com/post/186992380727/fanart-for-the-dragon-knight-by)  
>  [@having-a-harp-time on Tumblr](https://having-a-harp-time.tumblr.com/post/185596445560/sarcastic-sketches-i-had-this-idea-when-i-saw)  
> [@claxyeehaw on Insta](https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx2LI3VJKrl/?igshid=1ueq7wdgqr6rv)


	12. Empathy Bond

**CHAPTER 12 – Empathy Bond**

The fallout from the incident in the desert was a repeating echo throughout the corridors of the Castle. While the King’s stern words themselves did not pass through the walls of the council room, the effects were still widely known. The Princess had essentially been grounded.

The throes of winter were now in full swing but it was still a ludicrous sentiment. The Princess of Hyrule forbidden from leaving the Castle for the rest of the winter. _The Princess_.

Even though she could still wander about within it’s walls, none of the staff had seen hide nor hair of her all day since the King’s order. Nor had they seen that elusive dragon of hers. It seemed the Princess had taken to her own room and by extension her study, alongside her Celestial Guide.

It was true, at first Zelda had screamed and raged into a pillow upon her bed. Her sudden display of wild emotion startled Link badly enough that he accidentally singed one of the wooden legs of her armchair with a stray spark, but Zelda took no notice. Her verbal anguish eventually became tears. Desperation, frustration, and the lingering effects of trauma from her encounter with the Yiga streamed down her face to soak the fabric of the cushion she was crushing in her hold.

Eventually, her choked cries died down into quiet sobs and bit by bit Link steadily approached - unsure if his presence would really be appreciated by her at this time. Yet, the idea of just leaving her alone didn’t sit well with him either, mere days after they had worked out their differences. She had seemed to enjoy his company during the ride back to the Castle so he decided to be the embodiment of courage he was meant to be and climbed up onto the bed.

It wasn’t fair what the King had decreed. The Princess’ innate nature had been suppressed for so long that she had tried to grab whatever fragment of freedom she could when it was presented to her. It was just unfortunate that it had coincided with an attempt on her life. Link could appreciate that the King had probably been terrified when he had received the news – Link certainly had been at the time of the actual event -  but His Majesty’s reaction when actually confronted with his daughter left a lot to be desired.

Link sighed.

Now more then ever, the Princess needed to hear a sympathetic voice, needed to hear his support out loud, yet he was in a position where he was unable to do so. He couldn’t even grab the Slate from where she had thrown it onto the sofa, so very far away. All he could do was settle next to her on the bed covers, where she lay back against her pillows, and rumble sadly. He was there for her if she needed him.

If only he could communicate his sympathies.

Zelda was a maelstrom of emotions, all clambering over one another to form a truly horrible mixture. Her head hurt from crying so much, her throat was sore from cursing, and her stomach was filled with frothing acid that refused to calm down. She wasn’t sure what hurt more, that she had been locked inside like a misbehaving child or that despite the near death experience her father only had disappointment for her. Either way, she couldn’t remember a time she felt more wretched and that was saying something.

As another wave of tears gripped her, she felt Link bump against her hip. Looking down through her folded arms, she saw him leaning against her side, dejectedly. His eyes were unfocused and pinched with concern while his wings sagged over the bedcovers instead of being tightly tucked up against his sides like they usually were. But other than just the physical contact, she also noticed something else. Peeking through her own patchwork of feelings, she felt a wave of emotions that were separate from her own, foreign.

Consolation. Sadness. Sympathy.

They were definitely not her feelings.

Sniffing, she reached down to place her hand gently on Link’s back and she felt a flicker of surprise wash over her at the action before it disappeared, along with the sensations of commiseration. He looked up at her, face now devoid of expression – he was still working on that - but his eyes seemed open and earnest.

“Link?” She asked, her brain sluggish to catch up from her misery.

He cocked his head to one side, waiting for her to continue and there was … anticipation?

Without a doubt these feelings were not her own and they had only begun when she felt Link settle beside her.

Grief momentarily pushed aside, to test her hypothesis she tried to focus on one single feeling, pushing out all of the other negative thoughts and filling her mind with only gratitude. If Link’s eyes suddenly darting away to process were any indication, she would hazard a guess that he too was beginning to feel an emotion that did not originate from within himself.

His eyes came back to focus on her and a concerned sentiment seemed to bloom within her very soul. Tentative and fleeting at first, like a hesitant sprout in the first days of spring, but then stronger and more confident as Link gathered his bearings in this bizarre new situation.

Somehow, an empathetic connection had formed between them, for what purpose Zelda did not know but here in this moment it gave her strength.

“How are we doing this?” She wondered a loud, but she did not necessarily expect an answer, either from Link or anyone else.

She felt a watery smile break out across her face, taking her by delightful surprise. Deciding to pour everything that she was into this new discovery, she sat herself up on the bed, placing the stress pillow behind her to support her back. She then opened both of her hands in front of Link, beckoning him onto her palms - picking him up like some common pet was just insulting these days.

He was clearly still trying to work out what was happening but he walked onto her hands and she brought him up onto her knees so she could look at him more easily as they traded feelings. This close up, it became apparent just how many micro-expressions were displayed upon Link’s draconic face now that she had an emotional relay at the back of her mind to translate. The dilation of his pupils, the slight stretch of scales near the corners of his mouth and the tenseness of his brow. Even the glowing rivulets of his horn flickered and dimmed with new stimuli.

It was frightening being this exposed to someone, especially when neither of them really knew the other and their partnership was just starting to truly get off the ground, but at the same time they drew support from it. The constant uneasiness of their uncertain futures was familiar to the pair of them and they could now truly see it reflected in each other.

Fractionally, Zelda felt herself reach an equilibrium.

“You’re glowing brighter,” she pointed out, wiping away a stray tear as if she hadn’t just broken down in front of her knight for over an hour. Again.

Looking down at himself, Link rotated around on his uneven perch to confirm the extent of his bioluminescence and nearly fell off of her knees in the process. She gave a soft laugh as he righted himself quickly and experienced a new emotion from him. Accomplishment and joy.

All because Link had made her laugh. She really had found the support she needed.

**\-------** **▲▲▲** **\-------**

The discovery of their new emotional bond was kept to themselves for the time being. Zelda wanted to test the limits of their new _link_ before sharing the development with others. She also wanted to back up her findings with some more research. She knew there were multiple recorded accounts of previous Heroes and Princess’ sharing a telepathic connection but any information on how to _intentionally_ form one could give them some insight on how to strengthen it.

As such, Zelda was spending her day alternating between praying before the Goddess statue in the altar room and pouring over books in the library. Her least and most favourite places respectively. She may be banned from leaving the Castle but by the Goddess’ she was going to use this time to remain productive and _still_ attend to her duties.

One of the first things Zelda did was organise a correspondence to be sent from ‘Link’ in Kakariko Village. A fulfilment on a promise the Princess had made to Link’s mother, who wished to hear word from her son. A son who wasn’t actually in the Sheikah Village.

The plan was to have someone reply with an explanation that the Hero could not send communications out of Kakariko or risk his messages being intercepted by the Yiga. The Princess would then inform Link’s mother that she was terribly sorry but due to the risks involved Link could not write to her, all the while trying not to drown herself in guilt.

As each day passed, Zelda’s original decision to not inform Link’s family of his current situation crumbled away more and more. Link himself had not seemed to change his opinion on the matter but Zelda knew it was only a matter of time before the Hero’s disappearance from the Castle went from being curious to suspicious. She had seen it already, people in the halls glancing behind her to see if her knight had come back yet and the uncertainty in their eyes when they realised that the Hero was still not in the Castle. He was not here to protect them. Even after the Princess had been attacked directly.

It was with a heavy but resolute heart that Zelda handed off the fake letter, addressed to one ‘Mr. Silvis’, to Radi and Melo. The siblings would be staying home in Kakariko until Zelda’s confinement was over, as their services were no longer required within the Castle. She had been sad to see them go and would have liked to ask them both to remain just so she had someone to talk to, but she knew how well any of her requests to her Father would be received right now. That is to say, not well at all.

The issue over whether to reveal Link’s new form or continue to play out this charade weighed heavily on Zelda and she knew Link could feel it on her.

He didn’t stray far from her side these days, a far cry from his distant surveillance attempts when they had first been partnered together. As she went about her daily tasks he accompanied her everywhere, but he did not follow three paces behind anymore and instead was carried around on her shoulder. While Zelda was either praying or reading he would distance himself so that she could have the personal space she required, but still be close by to watch their immediate area.

At present, they were both to be found in the library. Lifting her head out of her current book, Zelda saw that her guard was lying flat against the table she had chosen to sit at. His bright eyes squinted a little whenever someone new entered the library or a fellow scholar passed by their table a bit too close for his liking. His tendency to imitate a guard dog was honestly quite amusing to her now.

But back to the matter at hand, she had found a few records that outlined the necessity for Princess’ of the past to have telepathic communication with their Heroes but they were all initiated by the Princess herself. Previous Heroes had just been the receiver. But last night, it had definitely been Link who had started the empathetic bond. He had opened up first.

 _Maybe Mipha would know more about this sort of thing. She certainly bonded with Vah Ruta faster than anyone else. I should invite her to stay a while over the Winter, like old times,_ Zelda considered, thumbing the pages of the book in her hands idly.

Her current tome hadn’t revealed anything in the way of a telepathic link between the Hero and the Princess, but it had mentioned the bond between the Hero and the Sword of Evil’s Bane.

 _If I extrapolate on my theory about the sword fusing with Link, then our emotional connection could be due to the spirit that resides within the Master Sword. Yet, when I asked, Link hadn’t said he could hear it,_ Zelda contemplated.

Granted, Link had not answered her verbally at all, but his passive expression had seemed even emptier at her question than it usually did. There had been no recognition behind his eyes at her words so the emotional shutters had not been needed. It was curious how, in hindsight, these tiny tells in body language gave her a whole new perspective on her knight. But if he had been unable to hear the voice in the sword, why was it now working to help him communicate with Zelda?

Another aspect about the Sword’s relationship with Link had occurred to her during her readings. The manner in which it was obtained.

“Link, did you ever face any sort of trial in order to pull the Sword from it’s resting place?”

Link’s ears flicked back a little to show he had heard the question but he continued to watch another patron enter the library before turning his head over in her direction. He mulled over the question in his head for a minute, no doubt trying to work out what answer she _wanted_ to hear, before shaking his head.

“No quest?” She prompted, always angling for more details from her reserved companion, “no riddles you had to solve or pieces of a puzzle you had to collect in order to prove yourself?”

Again, Link shook his head, his scaly brow crinkling a little as it furrowed in confusion. Then his eyes widened and he dashed for the edge of the table, sitting down to free his feet so he could point for the Sheikah Slate on her belt. Curious, Zelda released the Slate and placed it face up on the table so Link could press his tiny digits against the screen and type out a reply.

[The Master Sword tested my strength of spirit. It drained me. Only someone with enough spirit can take the sword without dying. I think]

There has been a slight pause before Link finished his sentence, clearly not nearly as confident with wielding his knowledge as Zelda was, but the information about the sword was not new to her.

“Yes, it is the test of the Master Sword but all previous Heroes were said to have undergone various challenges before they were even shown the way to the sword. Collecting sacred talismans of the different races, cleansing different parts of the Kingdom from darkness, combining aspects of the Three Goddesses to develop their skills, to show their worth and grow-“

Zelda’s eyes stared out into space, agog, as her mouth fell open. It was an entirely un-princess like expression but she didn’t much care, such was the joy of the revelation she had just experienced. Her open mouth curved up into quite the manic grin and she looked down at Link with such fervour he shrank back a little.

“You did it in the wrong order… you found the sword before doing a trial. You were meant to learn, to _grow_ before getting the sword, but look at you!” She reached down to grab him under the arms and held him aloft.

Now that she got a good look, it was clear to see just how much bigger he had gotten since he first transformed. He was now as long as her forearm, from the tips of her fingers to the point of her elbow.

Being hefted up this way was more than a little embarrassing and Link wrapped his tail around her arm to alleviate some of the pressure from around his ribs. Zelda, however, was far too gone in her discovery to really see what she was doing and continued on regardless.

“This is your trial. It’s extreme, but look you _have_ grown. You wouldn’t fit in my belt bag anymore, you’re _growing_!”

Link blinked at her, taking in her wide smile and glittering emerald eyes, before looking down at himself and realising that she was, unsurprisingly, correct. He used to be the size of gerbil but nowadays he was closer to that of a squirrel. They had both been so caught up with events going on around them and the sheer panic that went with it that his steady growth hadn’t been noticed.

Eyeing Zelda’s belt pouch, Link could confirm that he most definitely would not fit in there anymore and he didn’t want her to try either.

“So, it looks like your theory was right,” Zelda said, her smile becoming encouraging as she placed Link back down on the table. “I’m steadily learning that doubting you is not a wise venture.”

Her knight closed his eyes in contentment and smiled, tucking his head down a little as if bashful. Despite all the praise that had been heaped onto him, he really was still a very modest individual and quite shy. Zelda wanted to ask him about how he dealt with being the Hero, how he dealt with all of the attention and expectations that came with being the bearer of the Master Sword given his nature. She knew that his silence was so that others could mould him in their minds eye into what they wanted him to be, but what were his reactions to finding out he was the Hero? How did he manage with the training, accepting that he was part of a cycle that had happened over and over again for eons? Perhaps they were not that close yet, they had only just started to get to know each other now that Zelda was open to the idea.

Besides, the knowledge that Link had managed to grow to nearly twice his size without her realising was bugging her.

“But surely I would have noticed you getting bigger. You travelled in my bag on the way to the Gerudo Desert…”

The tiny dragon could only shrug his shoulders, which caused his wings to flex as well and Link turned his head around to scowl at them for moving without his permission. Zelda broke into a laugh.

That was the second time in just a few days that Link had managed to do that, without even really trying. He was just so … honest. It was such a delightful change from the Castle life that usually surrounded Zelda and she felt hope that their bond would get better from here on out.

She felt _hope._

Deciding to spend the rest of the day within the Library, Zelda returned her attention to her books, steadily working through each one and writing down any notable passages that highlighted the actions of past Heroes. It was a shame that only a small portion of the Hero’s life was ever recorded and that part was when he was actively called upon to defend Hyrule. Nothing was ever said about where he came from or what he went on to do if he survived his destiny. If he had any family.

“Oh. Now this is interesting,” Zelda said, lifting up her current book to tilt it towards Link, “it says here that the Hero of Twilight was accompanied by a wolf sent by the Goddess’. Close but not quite, however it does raise…”

A frown had appeared on the Princess’ face as she pushed her chair back and walked off to a different part of the Library, without finishing her sentence. Feeling a little lost, Link watched her go until she was an unacceptable distance away and he jumped off of the table to join her. 

Muttering to herself, the Princess was glaring at the shelves in front of her, running her fingers over well worn spines as she looked for a particular tome. Clearly, she had disagreed with her previous book’s version of events and was looking for evidence as to why. The occasional flicker of doubt that passed through their bond to Link was warring with her determination. As he sat down by her feet he sent her a mote of encouragement which prompted her to look down at him and explain herself.

“The Hero was accompanied by the Twilight Princess herself, not a wolf. I know for a fact that the Hero of Twilight did not travel _with_ a wolf, but I swear I’ve seen another account that spoke of a Great Wolf aiding the Hylian Princess of that Era. Which was- Ah! Got it!”

Seizing her prey, Zelda pried the relevant book from it’s home and opened it at it’s contents page, folding her legs to sit down as she did so. Mindful not to squash Link under her.

“Twilight Era … Page 224… Oh, of course! This is why we named the mechanical creatures the Divine Beasts. It’s been so long I’d forgotten,” Zelda rejoiced, placing the book down on the floor and turning it to Link so that he could read. “This part right here.”

Shuffling forward so that Link could lean over the page, he directed his sights to the specific paragraph Zelda was pointing to and began to read. He thanked his mother once again for that privilege.

_Often depicted in re-tellings of the Battle of Twilight, there is a large wolf standing alongside the Princess of Hyrule. A Goddess sent Divine Beast to aid and protect the land of Hyrule. It is curious to note, however, that whenever the Wolf is shown beside the Princess, the Hero is absent and vice versa. It is possible that the Wolf is a symbolic representation for the Hero in this Era or it is a more literal reference; that the two beings are in fact one and the same._

Link looked up from the passage and stared at Zelda.

“Any of this ringing a bell?” Zelda asked hopefully.

While he was the Hero, and therefore the inheritor of the Hero’s Spirit, it did not mean that he automatically understood his own history. He did not, despite what some people believed, have access to past memories of his ‘former lives’ and he intended to keep it that way. He already had trouble dealing with everything happening in this one, let alone mixing in events from past Eras.

 _However, if I was a wolf once that might explain why walking on four legs seemed so familiar. Also how I was able to settle into this new body so easily_.

Trying to explain all of this without the use of the Slate would have been a very involved performance so Link stuck with just shaking his head.

“Well, either way, it’s been a long time since I studied the old Legends and this one completely slipped my mind,” Zelda said, apologetically. “Combined with my … other sources… I would say that this isn’t the first time the Hero has changed form. By the will of higher beings no less.”

In Link’s opinion it didn’t really matter how he had changed. He had and he was just going to have to deal with it and he had been for the most part. Plus, if it were by the Goddess’ hand then trying to change back through them was a highway to nowhere. If the Princess’ steadfast devotion for the past ten years hadn’t produced a response then what good would asking them to change him back do.

_Unless, this change was a response._

Shaking his head to clear that thought away, Link followed his Princess back to their table with the new book tucked under her arm. She helped her knight back up onto the table and he sat himself in his former place. Bringing up one of his front feet, he touched the tip of his jaw with his claws and then brought them down and away from his face.

‘Thank you’

“Oh! ... You’re welcome,” Zelda said, pausing halfway into her seat as she caught the sign before seating herself fully. “I didn’t realise you knew sign language. That’ll be a useful way to talk to each other.”

To be honest, Link hadn’t realised the Princess would know it either. The motion for ‘thank you’ had become almost second nature to him in the military where hand signs were an easier form of communication. He’d been lost in his thoughts for a moment there and relied on muscle memory, but now that he had grown slightly hand signs would be easier to see. They were also a lot more convenient than waiting for the Slate all the time, as long as he didn’t have a lot to say. His hands were not as dexterous as they once were.

‘My Mother,’ Link explained, keeping the movements as clear and precise as he could and judging by Zelda’s focus he could tell she was not fluent.

“Your mother? She certainly has taught you a lot, no wonder she works in the Castle. But back on to our previous subject if you don’t mind, I’m curious, how much of the past Heroes do you know?”

Link gave a so-so hand gesture which wasn’t exactly a fair reflection of his knowledge or teachings but compared to what she probably knew it wouldn’t seem like a lot. He knew the bare basics of what the legends entailed – what child didn’t – and had been informed of the more high risk tasks involved when he had come forward with the Master Sword. But he would have liked to know more.

A curious expression crossed over the Princess’ face and a small wave of guilt and excitement transferred to him. She looked around to check the coast was clear and then leaned down to speak to him.

“As Princess I happen to be in possession of hand written accounts from the former Queens of Hyrule, including the ones that met past incarnations of the Hero. Would you … like me to share them with you?”

Such records were strictly for the eyes of Princesses only, but technically if she recounted the stories to Link then he wouldn’t be the one reading them. Revealing such a close kept secret made her feel shy all of a sudden but her uncertainty was swept away by Link’s wholehearted enthusiasm for the idea. He sat up straight, making himself looks as eager and presentable as he could, all the while his tail tapped a speedy rhythm against the wooden table.

 _Well,_ she thought, _looks like we’ve found a good bonding activity to do over the winter._

**\-------** **▲▲▲** **\-------**

Later that week found Zelda heading towards the Castle altar once again, to prostrate herself before an uncaring sculpture of the Goddess, when she and her knight entered the path of a councilman known as Lord Eurol. An incredibly entitled man, who had openly scoffed at the idea of Link becoming Zelda’s appointed knight due to his heritage.

‘Country Knight’ he’d called him.

The only reason Zelda had not found any validation in the man’s words upon hearing of his disdain for her new knight was the fact that she found his attitude entirely distasteful. Arrogant and obtuse as he was, he had earned his seat on the council due to the fact that he had a head for business which earned his friends lots of money. More money than he knew what to do with.

It would be hypocritical of Zelda, as the Princess, to start a campaign against the hoarding of wealth but she did truly despise how the older man seemed to feel that it was owed him. Owed, as if he had actually done all the work that earned him all that money. Sure he may have had the idea, but why was an idea worth so much more than the execution of it. As the Princess, she had access to the Royal funds if she so chose but she was actually limited on what she could spend it on. Instead things were bought for her, usually at the discretion and approval of members within the council. Lord Eurol among them.

Lord Eurol who had no time for Sheikah Technology or magical swords. No wonder he held such sway over the military.

“Good evening, your Highness. Off to your prayers?”

It was astounding how the man managed to make a simple greeting sound so utterly condescending. Still, Zelda bit back her irritation as she always did before the high ranking officials of the Castle and smiled blithely at him.

“Good evening, Lord Eurol. Yes, I am indeed just on my way to the altar. I remain hopeful that I will hear her voice any day now,” Zelda responded, while she inwardly gagged at the sycophantic tone her voice had taken on.

Link was fighting the rising urge to growl at the man, hunkering down against Zelda’s shoulder and curling his tail around the other side of her neck as he did so. He did not like this man, not one bit. Not since the day he met him. He was also recognisable as one of the men that Link had overheard in the corridors talking about pocketing some of the excess trade tax money.

Zelda could feel her knight’s ire like a vibration in her bones.

“I think we all remain hopeful, but do tell me where is the Hylian Champion? I know for a fact from quite a number of his fellow guards that the boy has never had any issues with ‘keeping to the shadows’ as it were. I find it interesting that he would be named as your appointed knight _before_ being sent off to Kakariko, so what is the castle's loyal attack dog actually doing? Or should I say Royal attack dog?” Lord Eurol sniggered to himself, pleased with his pun.

It was as if the man had been trying to remind Link of why he had never liked him. No longer fighting against his instincts, that told him to get this man far away from the Princess, Link growled low in his chest and the feathers along the back of his head began to slowly stand up. By the Goddesses, he was going to express himself and he was going to use his anonymity while he still had it to do so.

“Aww, does the little emissary of Farore not like me talking about her Champion?” The councilman taunted, wiggling his fingers in the dragon's face. Before Zelda could warn him not to do that, Eurol continued, “as if anyone actually believes that either. What are you going to do, bite me?”

Predictably, Link bit him.

Latching onto the man's fingers, as the rest of his body wrapped around his wrist, his platinum teeth sank through the leather gloves covering the man’s hands and he locked his jaw. The thrill that came with his new emotional liberation emboldened him and he did not feel one ounce of shame as the councilman recoiled out of shock.

Eurol screamed, more out of fright than any actual pain as Link was not bearing down that hard but the threatening pinpricks biting into his skin were concerning enough. He flailed his hand around, trying to shake off the persistent creature, but Link just wound himself around the man's wrist even tighter.

“Get it off!”

“It’s an emissary of the Goddess, I have no control over it,” Zelda said, making absolutely no attempt to get Link back, “it does what it wants. Clearly, it has taken offence at your comments, Lord Eurol.”

She would have liked to have finished by saying the feeling was shared by herself too, and she felt a flicker of validation radiate from her knight, but at the end of the corridor she spotted General Tapidor coming into view.

The General stopped, the clinking of his armour turning into an abrupt silence, marred only by Eurol’s panicked noises, as he surveyed the scene.

Link continued to be flung about, refusing to loosen his grip on the councilman, and the Princess was simply standing there watching. Although, with Tapidor’s arrival she looked a little apprehensive, like a child that wasn’t sure if they were about to be in trouble or not. Out of everyone currently in that corridor, only Lord Eurol did not know who the dragon biting into his hand actually was.

Now, General Tapidor was a fair and clever man, who could put two and two together, but his budget was still largely decided by the Lord currently being assaulted. He coughed and continued to walk down the corridor towards them.

“Councilman Eurol, you appear to be in some distress...”

The agitated man turned around to face the General, shoving his hand forward to show Link still clinging on. The dragon’s blue eyes lost their intense look of concentration as they slid over to view Tapidor. Link looked a lot less fierce when confronted with his Commanding Officer, narrowed pupils flicking between the General and the Councilman’s hand he was still clinging on to. The repercussions for his actions were standing before him much sooner than he had expected.

 _And there’s the shame_ , Link thought bitterly.

Tapidor offered his own open palm out and obediently Link slunk off of Eurol's hand to clamber into the General's proffered one. He was then gently deposited back onto Zelda's shoulder.

Indignant that the dragon showed more respect for the General than for himself, Eurol sniffed and turned around to stalk away down the corridor, not even thanking the General for the 'rescue'. Clearly his pride had suffered too much to remain on the scene for any longer. He could be seen rubbing the back of his assaulted hand gingerly as he disappeared out of sight.

Tapidor returned his attention to Link, who had the grace to look a little ashamed but not nearly as much as he would have had he been recognisable in his Hylian form. Then again, as a Hylian it would have been an entirely different issue if he’d decided to bite someone. As it was, to any passer by it would seem as though 'Farore's emissary' had just expressed it's displeasure with a member of the council. For whatever reason.

“I take it Lord Eurol was spreading yet more criticism?” Tapidor guessed, raising an eyebrow at Link as the small dragon knight started to back up into Zelda's hair. Away from the General's disapproving gaze.

“He had some disparaging comments to say about Link and his 'absence', while he isn't currently around to hear them,” Zelda answered, clamping a hand down onto Link before he could retreat too far. She felt, rather than heard, her small dragon companion rumble at her but she ignored him, keeping her hand where it was. “He was also sceptical over the claims that Link is training in Kakariko and doesn’t seem to buy into the story that I have a Goddess given guide. Unsurprisingly.”

The General was a peculiar acquaintance. While he no doubt heard all of her father's thoughts about the rising Calamity and his misgivings in regards to her training, he had never once spoken ill of her. He was also one of the few people who knew of Link’s current identity. As such, she had placed him within the list of people she regarded with optimistic neutrality rather than distrust. But that still did not make her feel like being open towards him with all of her concerns. That right currently belonged to a scant few and one of them was currently causing her hair to become static.

She pressed her hand down harder to get him to stop and keep her long mane smoothed down.

“I'm afraid I must be getting along. I have a lot to catch up on after being away so often. If you'll excuse me,” Zelda said, nodding her head down politely.

“Of course, your Highness, I will not keep you,” the General bowed and waited for her to pass by, glancing towards the back of her head to see if he could spot Link. He had to withhold a chuckle when he saw that the Princess was still keeping a firm grip on the nape of her neck while a feather tufted golden tail curled around her fingers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had this chapter written up eons ago and just split the second half into next update because I added too much stuff. I'm trying to keep my chapters under 6k words now because I read slowly and it takes me a while to go through and proof read if it's any longer.
> 
> Thanks again for all the feedback and I hope your excited for Mipha to be coming back next chapter!


	13. Two Princesses

As soon as she was able, Zelda sent off a letter destined for Zora’s Domain. The words she had written were structured in such a way that it could be excused as a simple diplomatic request, when really it was to ask if Princess Mipha wanted to spend the rest of the winter in the Castle.

Mipha must have been exceptionally bored because a positive response came flying back no more than a day later, stating that she would be happy to stay with Zelda once she had completed her current course of studies. Lessons on how to be a just and fair ruler of the Zora people, the usual. She also expressed her anger for the Yiga’s attempt on her life and vowed that she would make it her mission to help her forget such things when she came to stay.

The positive response put Zelda in a good mood but she did not share with Link why she was so upbeat, hiding the correspondence in her clothes. She wanted to keep it as a surprise. Her positive aura must have been confusing for her knight seeing as she was headed to the altar room to conduct her evening prayers, but he didn’t push her about it.

She didn’t need him intruding on her personal affairs right now.

The prayer room that housed the altar to Hylia was an empty, open space with windows cut from stone high up the walls and filled with coloured panes of glass. Upon the ceiling was a mosaic depiction of the first incarnation of the Hero alongside the mortal form of the Goddess Hylia; the first Zelda. It was meant to be an encouraging scene, a way for the descendants of Hylia to feel in touch with their roots, their bloodline. The current Zelda, however, found it’s presence obnoxious.

It was just an image, it didn’t hold any power and looking at it certainly didn’t fill her with any sense of belonging or purpose. She’d asked Link if he felt anything when he looked upon it, seeing as he was actually in it, but he hadn’t felt any connection to it either.

Apart from the mosaic and symmetrically placed candle holders lining the walls, the only other features of the room were the Goddess statue standing against the back wall and a hexagonal pool of water at her feet. The pool was shallow and each side was carved into a set of stairs to give the Princess a gradual descent into the water. It wasn’t very deep, barely coming up to her knees, but when she knelt down to pray in her ceremonial white dress the water soaked her up to her hips and stomach. She hated praying in winter.

At least she was left in peace here. Nobody came into the altar room except for the Princess and the acolytes of Hylia, who maintained the place and refilled the pool with spring water when the level dropped.

Half an hour passed but Zelda knew her heart wasn’t really in it and she began to feel guilty. The prospect of Mipha’s arrival had her excited and it made concentration difficult. The water also wasn’t heated at all and her legs had already started to become numb. She briefly considered calling it quits for the day when she felt a tendril of curiosity come from Link.

He was sat by the waters edge but instead of facing away from her towards the door like he usually did, he had twisted around to look at the water. His eyes followed the ripples her body made as she breathed until they hit the edge of the pool a couple of times before looking up into the face of the Goddess statue. He gave a slight cock of his head as he narrowed his eyes and then he was looking towards Zelda, a little startled to find that she was already watching him. He quickly turned back around to watch the closed doors.

“I gather that you’re not the praying type?”

Link shook is head but was suddenly struck by the double standards of it all. The Princess, the literal descendant of the Goddess, was expected to pray everyday to awaken a power that was in her blood. While Link, the supposed Goddess Chosen, was not required to do any of that or demonstrate any sort of reverence. His scales pinched together in a frown.

“Do you want to join me?” Zelda asked, surprised to see Link standing up and turning around so that his front feet just barely touched the water. “You don’t have to but I certainly wouldn’t begrudge the company. You never know, perhaps our powers combined will be enough to break through into the Sacred Realm.”

With the intent to swim over to her and offer his support in both body and spirit, Link placed a foot into the water. Now, as a Dragon, Link had so far proven to be completely unbothered by both hot and cold climates but that did not mean he did not register the temperature. He was simply not adversely affected by it. Therefore, when Link dipped into the water he was instantly able to realise that this water was cold. Too cold.

He swam over to the Princess, all previous thoughts of joining her in prayer completely gone, and started trying to usher her out of the pool.

“Link, what on earth are you doing?”

It wasn’t easy, trying to nudge the Princess towards the waters edge when he was so small and had no use of his vocal chords, especially when the Princess seemed rather determined to stay put. He looked up at her, his irritation palpable as he tried to convey how cold it was and why he was concerned for her wellbeing. While she wasn’t completely submerged, the cold water was sapping her body heat and energy. No wonder she was always so lethargic after coming here and he had just stood guard with his back to her, leaving her completely alone.

“I’m not finished, Link. It hasn’t even been an hour yet, I have to try for a little bit longer at least.”

Zelda’s hand redirected his insistent attempts to corral her out of the water away from her, leaving him to float beside her looking upset. She’d never seen him actually look unhappy before.

“Give me another half an hour and I will leave. I know it’s cold but I’ve done this every winter for the past ten years. It’s fine.”

_‘No, it’s not!’_

Zelda froze.

The shock of hearing someone else’s voice in her head so suddenly prevented Zelda from properly processing for a moment. Having gone completely still, she stared at her knight but his attention had already been redirected towards the water surface, scowling as if the heat of his glare could warm it up for her. She wasn’t sure if she had actually heard him or imagined it. He certainly seemed irritated enough on her behalf to have yelled that across their connection but they had never been able to exchange coherent words before. For now, her knight had begun to swim in frustrated loops and didn’t seem to realise that she had heard him. Deciding that it would it be best to work on this later – when he wasn’t quite so tense and Zelda wasn’t quite so tired – she scooped him up out of the water with two hands and carried him out of the pool with her.

“Alright Link, I think I’ve done all I can for today,” she conceded, heading over to her folded change of clothes and a towel. “I’m finding it a bit hard to concentrate anyway. Let’s retire to my study.”

Link’s relief was obvious but Zelda was distracted in her thoughts as she shed her wet prayer gown and changed into her much thicker, and warmer, clothes. Now that she had thought on it more, she was sure that the voice she had heard wasn’t her imagination. If only she could remember what Link’s voice sounded like.

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

The days waiting for Mipha’s arrival passed in a similar fashion as those following the incident in the Gerudo Desert. Prayers were sent skyward and food was consumed in between the hours the Princess found herself once again with her eyes glued to a book. It was only in the evenings where the words she read were not about past exploits of the Hero, or accounts from her ancestors during their times of strife. Instead, she would enjoy the twilight hours where she could indulge in her personal research, away from prying eyes in her study.

Notes that had been collected up from all of the Sheikah excavation teams by Purah were now bound together in front of her. Impa had dropped them off in her room with a note attached telling her to keep her head up and her mind sharp.

It had nearly made Zelda cry and she had tucked the folder away under her arm and beckoned for Link to come with her as they retreated to her study.

As sketches of unearthed guardians and scratched notes about their components graced Zelda’s mind, page by page, Link was taking advantage of the down time to relax. It had become a habit of late that he would settle down of an evening as he watched Zelda bury herself in research, with light starting to shine from between his scales as the sun set. Despite the peacefulness they had managed to cultivate between them, Link would rather have been able to sit beside her in person to keep her company during the few scant hours when Zelda was allowed to be herself.

It was rare for him now to consider what he would be doing if he were still Hylian, but he also had to wonder if he had not been turned into a Dragon would the Princess have warmed up to him like she had. He shook his head and stretched himself out on top of a pile of books.

 _Thinking about that doesn’t help anyone. She’s happier now and so am I, that’s all that matters,_ he decided, closing his eyes for a moment as he listened to the sounds outside.

The sun eventually disappeared entirely and Zelda found herself squinting at the pages, the warm glow from the fire in the hearth behind her doing little to help illuminate her work. Rapidly blinking her aching eyes, she pulled herself out of another tome full of research papers to see that the sky had gone dark. She placed the book down onto her desk and rubbed her face, pushing loose hairs out of the way. The lantern on her desk was currently the only useable source of light she had and it was not enough at this late hour. With a sigh she reached over to snuff out her ‘lantern’ before realising that it was actually Link, still lying on the books next to her notes.

At some point he had rolled over during his nap, exposing the small white scales that covered his belly and chest. He used to be small enough that he could have fit on top of one of her books, but now he was draped over the hardback cover and his tail was dangling over the edge of the desk.

He’d been getting steadily bigger as each day passed spent in close proximity to the Princess. At first it had been the subtle growth Zelda had noticed since coming home from the desert but recently the changes had been more noticeable and far more rapid. Zelda had even tried watching him for over an hour to see if she could visibly witness the change but all she got for her troubles was a staring contest. A contest that Link won.

She wasn’t completely sure if his steady growth was an indicator that their connection was also growing, but it would explain his ability to transfer actual words into her mind instead of just emotions. He hadn’t done it since his outburst during her prayers and Zelda hadn’t mentioned it to him. She didn’t know why but for now she was content to pass it off as a fluke. Telepathy was not a gift she had been expecting to deal with but from a Dragon it was entirely plausible.

Link looked completely unperturbed by her chain of thoughts and seemed to have fallen asleep in a very vulnerable position. He was obviously confident that they were safe here and that he trusted her, which was gratifying to know, but she was often plagued by bouts of intense inquisitiveness. The need to know was all consuming. The close knit scales interlacing each other on his underside looked softer than the thicker armour scales that decorated his back in their shades of blue and purple. Zelda wanted to confirm her suspicions but she knew that poking him in the stomach would not go over well, plus he was still a person. He _would_ change back one day.

Surely he wouldn't mind if she was gentle? He had been very co-operative so far and they were getting along so well these days.

Using only her forefinger, Zelda lightly dragged her fingertip over the white scales finding them to be incredibly smooth to the touch. They were indeed also much more flexible than the ones covering his back. However, despite her best attempts to only touch him lightly, Link had not actually been asleep and he curled around the offending finger before he realised who it belonged to.

Embarrassment crept up on Zelda as she held her breath, silent while Link flipped himself over to face her properly. He warbled at her, his way of asking for an explanation.

“I was just... wondering if there was a difference between the scales on your back compared to those on your stomach. Surprisingly there is,” Zelda explained, desperately trying to bury her rising nervousness with speculation. “It's odd to consider really, surely you would want strong scales underneath you too as you would be exposed during flight.”

Link blinked and then looked away, giving it some thought. He twisted around to look at his back, flexing his wings a little before extending them out and turning around to catch Zelda's eye again. He flapped his wings in an exaggeratedly pathetic manner to demonstrate why that wasn't an issue for him just yet.

“You can glide fully now that your wings are big enough. Maybe protective scales will grow in at some point,” Zelda theorised before a yawn broke off her train of thought, “excuse me.”

An insistent nudge against her elbow resting on the desk got her to look down, finding Link bumping his shoulder against her repeatedly. He tilted his head up to face her, frowned, and hefted his body against her arm again, his message loud and clear this time without the need for telepathy.

  _Go to bed._

“You're my Knight, not my caretaker,” she grumbled, but she wasn't actually sure where the distinction was made and agreed that it was indeed time for bed.

She put out the fire in her study and wrapped herself up in a cloak to cross the walkway towards her room through the frigid night air, winter now definitely upon them. Nodding to the night guards standing to attention in front of the loft space above her room as she passed, they bent their heads and bowed in return but their eyes followed the golden creature trotting after her. While the presence of Farore's 'guide' was a well known fact by this point, his appearance still caused the Castle folk to stop in their tracks.

Zelda was too tired to take much notice, however, taking each step down into her room slowly. She reached the bottom and removed her boots, padding over her plush rug and scrunching her toes into the pile as she sat on the edge of her bed. Just as she was about to change into her night clothes she looked round her room, trying to determine where Link had wedged himself.

She knew without a doubt that he would never try to peek at her while in a state of undress and had always dutifully looked away before being motioned to do so if he was caught by surprise. Still, it was better to locate him so she could give him a warning first. After scanning her floor and chest of drawers, she turned her head up to spot his tail disappearing out of sight onto the canopy above her bed.

_What is he doing?_

Shuffling back under the canopy of her bed, she took the opportunity to remove her heavy dress and her under clothes, slipping into a nightgown with a relieved sigh.

“You can come down now,” she called, just loud enough for him to hear.

A skittering of claws above her indicated that he was moving and she leaned out of bed just in time to watch him propel himself from the edge and extend his wings. Clearly her earlier comment about gliding had got him in a mood to try it out. She knew he must have been able to glide to get the drop on those Yiga but she hadn’t actually seen it. While it was not a significant distance from the top of her bed canopy to the floor, it was still the first time since Rito Village that she had witnessed his wings attempt to take his weight.

The glide was short and controlled. A slight tilt of his wings arced him to one side and Zelda gave a small clap as he landed on the rug at her feet. There was a fleeting flicker of pride from her knight as he sat to attention, happy that he hadn’t dropped out the air presumably. This was good news and maybe one day he would actually be able to fly but for now he needed to have a bit of a height advantage to get going or a decent amount of propulsion.

Though Zelda would prefer that he didn’t start making a habit of climbing up to her bed canopy.

“Please don’t start sleeping up there, you might suddenly drop down in the morning and give me a fright.”

There was no response but she knew he had heard her, with his excellent hearing and all, plus she sensed a faint note of mischievousness from him that was quickly stifled. She grabbed hold of a throw pillow – aptly named - and broadcast her intent which caused him to swiftly about-turn and walk very quickly over to his cupboard, disappearing behind the partition screen.

He had gotten far more daring around her since returning from the desert and Zelda was finding the change of pace delightful. Link had been tentative at first, the sense of propriety and his knights oath still at the forefront of his mind, but Zelda had been loathe to smother any hints of his true personality shining through so he’d kept trying. Every day he gradually tested the limits of what was acceptable behaviour bit by bit. She was finding him to be an oddly genuine person, a bright light in a murky sea that was the Castle. He was also an excellent source of challenge; his intuitive nature against her more logical one whenever she could coax him into having an opinion.

Of course, this new dynamic came hand in hand with his more active involvement with her wellbeing. He seemed to be taking the ‘protect the Princess from all harm’ clause of his appointment to a whole new level. He wasn’t just trying to keep her safe from attacks but also reminding her of her more basic functions, like sleeping.

Inhaling and exhaling deeply, she squashed down the newfound fondness she felt for her knight as she pulled up her bed covers and settled into her blankets.

Countless words and diagrams she had perused that evening, lit solely by the glow of her Dragon Knight, scrolled through her mind until they all merged into background nonsense and sleep came over her.

**\-------** **▲▲▲** **\-------**

Zelda was bouncing on the balls of her feet a little bit, an action that was mostly covered by her long skirts but she couldn’t stop. Mipha was arriving today. Within the hour in fact.

It had been years since Princess Mipha had stayed for any length of time at the Castle and they had often spent time at each other’s Kingdoms in their youth. Sadly, destiny made no room for social calls apparently.

The only reason Mipha was here now was because Zelda had managed to spin the visit in favour of her ‘duty to Hyrule’. That and playing up the Hero-turned-into-a-Dragon card went over well with her father these days. Link’s determination to remain as her knight despite the ‘trauma he must be suffering over his transformation’ had earned him a lot of good will with the King and Zelda was going to take full advantage of that, seeing as Link had absolutely no intention to do so himself. He hadn’t even realised how favourably the King looked upon him until she mentioned it. The look of bewilderment on his face had nearly been enough to make her snort out her tea.

Her knight had been left behind in her room while Zelda left to meet Mipha and although he had been notably suspicious of her motives he did not insist on following her. Last Zelda had seen of him he had been waiting patiently, lying down on the rug at the foot of her bed, eyes fixed upon the doorway she’d left through leading to the set of stairs along the outside of her tower.

The only people around the Princess currently were the guards on duty to watch over the courtyard and soldiers doing their patrol routes. All of the courtiers and staff were contained within the Castle walls where it was warm but Mipha’s point of entry would be the northern waterfall that cascaded down into the Castle moat. It wasn’t a particularly long walk from her room to the waterfall but it was open to the elements and the wind was nipping at her nose. Just looking at the water made her shiver and she envisioned a nice warm bath she’d take for herself later.

Zelda only had to wait for about half an hour before Mipha’s bright red form burst out from over the cliff edge.

“Princess Zelda! You didn’t have to come and meet me, you should be inside in such weather.”

Zelda wanted to point out that, of the two of them, she was dry and well insulated under many layers of clothing but Zora were adapted at staving off the cold. It was no wonder they suffered so in the desert. Dry and hot.

“I couldn’t very well just leave you here without someone to welcome you,” Zelda exclaimed as Mipha waded over to dry land and climbed out. The Zora did not even flinch at the frosty breeze that brushed past them but Zelda still offered her a spare cloak she had brought along just in case, which Mipha accepted. Offering out her hand to the Zora Champion, Zelda smiled, “it’s so good to see you.”

“You as well. I can’t remember the last time I came here just for a casual visit,” Mipha admitted. She tugged the fur-lined cloak about herself more snugly so half of her face disappeared in the fuzzy neckline before taking Zelda’s hand.

“I hope I didn’t cause tensions back home or draw you away from your own training,” Zelda said as they made their way back to her room.

“Not at al! In fact, father practically pushed me out of the Domain himself. Sidon was a bit sad to see me go but now we’ll be able to see how well he does on his own.”

“That’s good. How is his swimming these days?”

“Much better actually, he doesn’t need me to support him up waterfalls anymore. A little more practice and he’ll be doing tricks.”

Zelda eyed her conspiratorially and lowered her voice as they passed a pair of patrol guards, “I’ve never seen you do tricks.”

Mipha blushed a little and coughed, “yes, well, we were usually being watched very closely. I didn’t think showing off would be a good idea.”

“Oh, so you _are_ capable of showing off then. You’ll have to show me one day.”

“I’m here for a while, I’m sure I’ll find time to do just that.”

“Well, hopefully there’s enough time before the freeze comes,” Zelda warned, waving out towards the moat as she did so. “Soon this whole place will be covered in snow and the moat will be frozen solid. The sky’s been threatening to snow for days now and apparently it’s going to be a very cold winter this year.”

They shared a meaningful look. It was another omen of events to come but neither of them were keen to focus on that for long and moved the conversation forward.

Chatting with Mipha brought back all the fond memories Zelda had stored away from when they were children. At least, Zelda had looked like a child by Hylian standards and Mipha had been a bit smaller than she was now but chronologically much older. Zora’s aged so slowly that each growth stage of their life lasted longer than the last. In terms of years lived, when the two Princesses first met Mipha would have been a middle aged Hylian but was actually only a young Zora, barely an adolescent.

Zelda had thought she was the prettiest Princess she had ever seen. She hadn’t wielded a spear back then and their Royal meet-ups had ended due to various responsibilities before Mipha took up combat training. A shame, Zelda would have liked to have seen that. It would have been an inspiring sight for her younger self to see a Princess allowed to show her fierceness and skill in battle, like the Hylian Princesses of old.

Even if their military did not discriminate between presentations or backgrounds, the Princess was still treated like a figurehead that must be sheltered and protected. Meanwhile, the Zora Princess was actively involved in the protection of her own Kingdom.

Zelda squeezed Mipha’s hand as they ascended the steps up to her room and as if sensing her troubles, the sky sent a blessing in the form of a few delicate snowflakes. The first snow of the year.

Mipha gasped when a flake landed on her head crest, melting slowly against her scales. She went a little cross-eyed as she tried to locate the sensation.

“I think the sky heard our earlier conversation, but we’ll be inside soon,” Zelda assured, leading them up the last set of stairs to stand outside her bedroom doors.

“I never get to see snow,” Mipha said quietly just as Zelda went for the doorknob.

“You don’t?”

She shook her head, “it’s too humid in the domain for it and the snow tends to fall on the highlands around us and on Mount Lanayru instead. We get frosts sometimes but never any actual snowfall. It’s pretty.”

It was oddly tranquil, standing there on the landing outside of the Princess’ bedroom, watching the first snowflakes fall and collect on the ground only for them to be covered by more. She would have stayed out there for longer but she remembered that Link was probably still waiting on the rug inside. Zelda wondered what his thoughts on snow were.

As if reading her mind, Mipha leaned towards her and asked, “where is Link? From what he’s told me, he rather enjoys winter.”

_Does he now?_

“I left him inside,” Zelda said, turning back to the door again. Mipha stared at the wood too.

“You didn’t tell him I was coming did you?”

_How does she do that?_

“It thought it would be nice to surprise him... I haven’t exactly been the nicest to him and I’m aiming to do better. He didn’t get a choice in this anymore than I did.”

She sighed but Mipha gripped her elbow comfortingly and gave Zelda one of her most encouraging smiles.

“Then let’s surprise him. Nayru knows I haven’t been able to get the drop on him in _years_ ,” Mipha said, sounding a little exasperated and Zelda knew without a doubt that there was a story there. A story she desperately wanted to hear but first…

She opened the door.

There, still lying down on the rug, was Link, staring at the door unblinkingly. His face did this odd sort of twitch though when he registered that it wasn’t just Zelda coming into the room. The twitch morphed into both of his eyebrows rising and his eyes dilated and _joy_ filled the empathic bond.

“Hello Link, you’ve gotten much bigger since I last saw you,” the Zora Champion said, grinning as she echoed words she had spoken to him many years before.

Link zoomed from the rug over towards Mipha, eager to see his best friend especially now that he was confident he wouldn’t be accidentally zapping her. She knelt down inside the room as Zelda shut the door behind them and opened her arms to wrap them around Link. She stood up off the floor with Link in her arms, hugging him tightly as he shoved his face under one of her side fins and enjoyed the softness of her borrowed cloak.

He’d missed her.

“It’s been… a little over a month since all the Champions last saw you?” Mipha asked, getting an affirmative nod from Zelda who was already taking off her outdoor layers. “I almost miss the smaller you, oh!”

The Zora suddenly held Link out at arm’s length looking worried.

“Urbosa worked with him when we went to the desert,” Zelda said, correctly guessing that Mipha had just remembered Link’s electrical problem. “We believe his abilities are connected to his emotions, like Urbosa’s Fury.”

“Well, Link is rather emotional,” Mipha admitted, looking off to one side for a moment and completely missing Link’s wide eyed look of horror and Zelda’s quick glance between the two of them. 

“Really?” Zelda prompted, trying to appear casual as Link swivelled his head around to stare at her instead.

“Oh yes. He’s very much driven by his emotions, which is why it was a bit of a shock to see him so closed off on his latest visits. But I suppose wearing ones heart on their sleeve isn’t a particularly good idea at the moment.” Mipha sounded wistful and a little sad saying that, but she bounced back almost immediately, “that’s why I was glad for your letter. I’m happy you two worked it out in the end.”

“I think we’ve both benefitted from it.”

Link, as a knight, was accustomed to be being talked about as if wasn’t there, however he took umbrage with this casual exchange of personal information and huffed, loudly. When Mipha looked down at him he turned his face away from her pointedly, but instead of apologising she giggled.

“Oh Link, I already know the two of you are getting along much better than you were before. Zelda told me about you both confiding in one another after the attack. You don’t have to hide from the people in this room.”

His feelings of betrayal were instead sent towards Zelda, but she could tell his heart wasn’t really in it. She supposed this is what it felt like to watch friendly ribbing, rather than being at the mercy of it like she usually was with Urbosa. It was entertaining to witness from the outside.

Link huffed again, this time in defeat, and allowed himself to be cuddled some more by Mipha who eventually took pity on him. Intending to give them time to catch up, Zelda decided right now was a good idea to be elsewhere.

“I’m going to have a bath,” she informed them, scooting over towards the door that led into the Castle rather than out of it, “would you like me to run you some warm water too Mipha?”

“Oh, yes please,” Mipha said gratefully. Even if Zora’s could tolerate cold weather, they found soaking in warm water a pleasurable experience just like most other species. “Then we can also test how well Link can swim in this new form. I admit, I’m curious.”

Zelda’s hand itched and she noticed Link’s feelings of comfort and peace turn into slight uncertainty as he side-eyed his charge hovering by the door. He could sense another experiment was brewing.

“Mind if I sit in on that after I’m done?”

“Of course!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fires in with some Princess/Princess solidarity and of course dunking on Link is always a fun past time.    
> Also please take [this scene](https://sarcastic-sketches.tumblr.com/post/181147219840/it-had-become-a-habit-of-late-that-he-would-settle) I drew almost a year ago that's only just become relevant.
> 
> This OT3 is basically a natural empath, a logic machine, and gut instinct man. Heart, Mind, and Spirit.


	14. Open Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Changed username from BritishSarcasm to SarcasticSketches!

Having Mipha in the Castle was a blessing for Zelda’s sanity, but it was also odd at first. It had been years since Zelda had anything remotely like a playmate but the Castle seemed brighter for having the other Princess here, despite the overcast skies outside. This was partly due to Mipha’s natural charm but it was also because of the positive effect she had on Zelda, causing the usually downtrodden and silent Princess to be far more active and cheery during the day. An uplifting sight for the other denizens of the Castle.

There had been a couple of things they both had to remember about each others customs. For instance, Zora often shared bathing space and asking another to join them in the water was an innocent offering of friendship. To Hylians, bathing was generally a private affair and being asked to join in someone else’s ‘me time’ was incredibly forward. After the initial miscommunication and subsequent flustering, Zelda had found that she rather enjoyed lounging in the hot water with a conversational partner.

Link, on the other hand, had been commanded to stay outside the baths. Mipha seeing her naked was one thing, it was a completely different state of affairs with her knight.

The mornings for Zelda were no longer a silent affair either as once she left her room there was someone who could greet her verbally. Not that she didn’t appreciate having Link around for company, who had become a trusted confidant of late, but sometimes it was nice to just have a chat with someone without having to interpret a miniature game of charades.

The mental communiqué between Link and Zelda had been getting more sensitive the more in tune they became with it. Minute changes in emotion, and even the suggestion of feelings, were able to be construed by the pair of them and Mipha was just the person Zelda had been waiting to ask about it.

“You can hear what he’s thinking?” Mipha asked, astonished as her wide eyes moved between Princess and knight while they all sat in a triangle on Zelda’s plush floor rug.

Even though they were all sat on the floor, the two Princesses still managed to make it into a dignified affair; decorative cups of tea sitting next to them and an assortment of delicate snacks between them. Link wasn’t sure how they managed it but he felt it was worth the effort to lay down as neatly as possible. Which meant not sticking his legs out behind him or laying flat on his stomach and keeping his head up.

“Not thoughts per se,” Zelda corrected, “but I can sense what he feels and visa versa.”

“I’ll admit I’m jealous,” Mipha said, giving Link a pointed look as she went on to say, “I’ve always wondered what goes on in his head while he stares into space for minutes at a time.”

Link, who was very much used to his Zora friend’s unique brand of teasing, shifted a little so that he couldn’t actually catch her eye and coughed.

Zelda snorted, “I’m sure it’s thrilling, whatever it is.”

Uncaring for the dignified atmosphere in that moment, Link got up, turned around so that his back was facing them and flumped back down onto the floor. He turned his head to side eye them in mock displeasure and got two Princesses giggling at him for his troubles. Business as usual since Mipha had come to stay.

“But, in all seriousness, if you two have managed to communicate thus far with emotional signalling it should be possible for you two to form words,” Mipha suggested.

Zelda fidgeted a little and Link honed in on the action, tuning into the conversation again as he felt guilt leak out from the Princess. She gave him a quick apologetic look.

“I think Link might have already done that, but I wasn’t sure.”

This took him by surprise. When had he managed to do that and how had he managed to miss Zelda’s reaction to it? Both of his answers came within Zelda’s next breath.

“He was concerned for my wellbeing and got annoyed with me when I refused to listen. He was too distracted at the time to realise I’d heard him.”

Mipha cocked her head causing a side fin to drape over her shoulder, “what were you doing?”

“Praying to Hylia in the altar pool.”

This didn’t seem to clarify the issue at all and Mipha squinted a little before she turned her attention towards Link.

“Zelda is supposed to do that, Link. You know this, why does that bother you?”

Unable to signal the distress he had felt at the time, Link mimed the act of shivering, bunching himself up and vibrating.

“She was cold? Oh! The water was _cold_. Zelda, that’s not good for you.”

“Oh, not you too,” Zelda moaned, turning her face away from the pair of them as they looked upon her with sadness and urgency. “I’ve done it for years, I’m absolutely fine, and it’s something that must be done. A lot more is weighing on the outcome than just my health.”

With Link unable to do more than just send her a wave of disagreement, Mipha was able to articulate his thoughts exactly.

“That’s all very well and good, but I’m sure the Goddess will not wish for you to damage yourself in pursuit of your goals. There must be some other way that you can offer your prayers that do not involve the risk to your health. Cold water is an insidious killer for you Hylians. I’ve seen the effects of hypothermia far more than I would ever wish to. Please,” Mipha implored, leaning forward to take Zelda’s hands in her own, “promise me you will look after yourself. You are far more important to us than a prophecy written millennia ago.”

Zelda immediately became flustered and had to look away, but Mipha refused to break this tender moment and continued to hold onto her. It was obvious that not many people in her life reminded her that she had value outside of what the Prophecy dictated for her. A depressing state of affairs. Her hands tensed with the intent to draw away but Mipha tightened her hold, refusing to let her go.

That was another thing about Mipha coming to stay. She had no qualms about expressing how much she cared for her friends and those she loved. She was also very tactile, laying a hand on her arm or her back in reassurance. Her Zora Champion wasn’t usually quite so _aggressive_  about it though.

Thoroughly unused to such strong displays of affection from any one but Urbosa, Zelda’s eyes sought back-up and landed on her knight. Her knight turned out to be no help at all and he sided with Mipha instead, coming up to her side and leaning into her. Currently his only way of offering support. It felt like he was humming over their emotional bond, steadying the tether for her to hold onto as Zelda was left with no choice but to accept Mipha’s sentiments.

It was very comforting and warm, to be cared about so openly. She hadn't had such a reassuring presence in her life since her mother died. Link had been steadily filling that void of late, with his constant silent support behind her, but she has been suffering on the tactile front. The tether vibrated loudly, in response to her introspection and she felt a spark of realisation from Link. He tucked that piece of information away in his memory banks for a later time and Zelda couldn't help the smile spreading over her face at that. The tether vibrated again, sending out another wave of warmth, and then it seemed to split opening up a whole new set of feelings.

Mipha gasped, taking her hands back, and the humming stopped as they were all thrown out of the moment.

“Wait … was that…?” The Zora stared at her hands, allowing a blue glow to highlight her scales for a moment before the light died down again as she moved her eyes over to Link and Zelda. She can see in their eyes that they had felt it too. “I think I might have just … could we try that again?”

“Holding hands? Yes, of course!” Zelda agreed, intent on re-creating the moment to help bring the sensation back. But also just because she wanted to hold hands again.

“You too, Link,” Mipha said, and Link inched along Zelda’s side to place his claws over their joined hands.

They became silent and the contented humming returned.

For several minutes they sat completely still, joined at the hand as snow collected in the windows and wind rushed against the stone walls outside. Link wasn’t sure if he was actively meant to be doing anything and at first he thought Zelda had entered one of her prayer like trances again, but as she briefly peaked one of her eyes open he knew that wasn’t the case. Mipha, on the other hand, seemed to be concentrating hard, as if she were searching deep within herself. It was a bit like watching her focus her powers in the early days of their friendship. Her hands were aglow with the light of her healing grace, but neither of them had any wounds to stitch back together.

Just as he felt the muscles in Zelda’s hand twitch to move away, he felt something like a greeting wash over him; a hug, but on the inside. The fingers under his claws also tensed with the new sensation and Link found himself in between two sources of emotion. One warm and welcoming and the other utterly confused but ultimately excited. The tether had split between them again.

 _‘Mipha!’_ Link realised.

“Ok!” Zelda exploded, startling everyone out of the moment and casing Link to launch himself across the rug. “I know I didn’t imagine it that time. That was Link, wasn’t it?”

Far from sounding angry, the Princess was looking at Mipha with amazement and a bright grin stretched her face in wonder. Mipha herself looked rather pleased but also slightly overwhelmed. Never before had her empathy been so direct.

“Yes, that was definitely him,” she turned to the Dragon, who was still a little frazzled from the all the stimuli. It seem like a very intrusive experience which could not be easy for her reserved friend. “You can communicate via telepathy. A gift of Dragons if I’m not mistaken.”

Link didn’t get a chance to respond, visually or telepathically, because Zelda was _off._

“This is incredible! Not only is your accelerated growth a physical phenomenon, it’s also figurative. You’ve grown as a person and in doing so you’ve developed new skills!”

Zelda continued to marvel to herself as she sprung up from the floor to retrieve her notebook and a pen. Meanwhile, Mipha was watching Link with a hopeful smile as he slowly came to terms with this new outlet and how significant this was for him. He could now speak if he so chose. He could express himself with thoughts and words. It was an opportunity for him to open up completely, to be who he once was.

To show courage through vulnerability.

Seeing Zelda return with her journal in hand, face radiating with excitement, he knew he was damn well going to take it.

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

Suffice to say, the novelty of Link’s new telepathic ability did not wear off for a while. It took a bit of practice between the three of them to coax Link into forming defined thoughts that they could understand but they got there in the end. Sometimes halfway through a sentence a word would be replaced by a feeling instead if Link couldn’t properly explain himself. It was a very rich way of communicating.

While his telepathy allowed him to communicate to Mipha and Zelda he had yet to test it on anyone else. Thankfully, his new gift had not opened him up to hearing everyone else's thoughts - that was something he never wanted to be privy too. Both Mipha and Zelda had tried to return their thoughts to him but he could not hear them, though they could still trade with feelings if Link was involved, so it seemed he could not receive thoughts, only send. Communication between the two Princesses was possible if Link acted as a bridge between them but it could not occur solely between themselves. Therefore, Zelda's running hypothesis was that since this power originated from within Link, he was a necessary conduit for a connection between all three of them.

“Pity,” Mipha said, and Link raised his guard up as he felt the oncoming mischief a mile away, “imagine all of the conversations Zelda and I could have had about you.”

‘ _Don’t you dare,’_ Link thought, trying his best to not to think about all the dirt she had on him.

“But there are so many stories I haven’t told the Princess yet,“ Mipha continued, unrelenting as Link surged forward to try and place his claws over her mouth.

“What stories?” Zelda piped up, pausing in her note taking as she felt Link’s distress. The stories couldn’t be good for him if he was being this dramatic.

“Well, there was the first time Link decided to take on the Lynel that lives on Ploymus Mountain. Pretty sure he got chased off the cliff.”

“He _what?_ ” Zelda asked, note taking thoroughly forgotten.

As Mipha went on to share various stories of his early failures in life, Link simply curled up on the floor to weather the ensuing embarrassment. At least Zelda wouldn’t think he was perfect anymore.

After listening to a few stories – in fairness Mipha didn’t tell them that badly - fatigue began to settle in. He felt unusually tired, probably due to his excessive use of his abilities which would take some training and getting used to. He had found himself prone to taking naps more and more lately and perhaps this was yet more evidence of his exponential growth rate. Curled up on the soft rug, he let the sounds of the Princesses’ voices and the wintry gales whistling past the tower lull him off to sleep.

Thoughts of growing big enough to cast a shadow over Castle Town as he flew overhead morphed into a dream of him flying through Tanagar Canyon. Angling his wings this way and that he was able to traverse his way through the ravine only to end up at a Temple built at the end. The stone it was made from was distinct from the cliffs it nestled between; a pale stone compared the brown hues of the canyon.

As he approached, its dilapidated features peeled away to reveal pristine stone and unblemished craftsmanship. Admittedly, nature still had it’s strong hold upon the building, moss and creeping vines making their homes upon it’s face but the closer he got the younger the Temple appeared.

His flight did not slow and for a moment he feared he would crash, unable to control his speed, but then he moved past the Temple’s outer face and instead stood within. On two Hylian legs.

The sudden change was abrupt and he stood there, holding his shaking hands out in front him before he ran them down his thighs and then back up to his face. His human face; not a scale in sight. He buried his fingers in his hair and breathed in deeply, closing his eyes as he took in all the sensations he had taken for granted. But there was something inside him that felt hollow and empty. Something that was missing.

He could no longer feel the Princess with him. He hadn’t even realised that he could until that connection was taken away.

The clothes on his body were those that he had been wearing when he had met Farosh; the smooth Champion’s tunic, the worn tan trousers, his pliable leather boots, and his fraying gloves. He tore off the gloves with his teeth, allowing him to feel with his bare skin. He stared at his claw-less hands.

_Wonder if grew my nails out a bit…_

Turning his attention outward, he observed the inside of the Temple. The walls were bare of decoration, except for ornate carvings where wall met ceiling, and a giant statue of the Goddess Hylia to match the one found in the Temple of Time stood against the back wall. Light seemed to pour down from the ceiling and high cut windows but from what he had seen outside that should be impossible. This Temple had been wedged between the high cliffs of the Tanagar Canyon. Unless, he wasn’t in the same Temple anymore?

 _Dream,_ Link reminded himself, focusing instead on the space right in front of him.

There before him was the Master Sword, contained within a plinth of white marble. It seemed to bask in it’s own source of light, though from where Link couldn’t tell. A ribbon of blue rippled around the blade, caught in a breeze he could not feel, left suspended in time. It reminded him of the silk scarves his sister insisted on buying every festival - she had a whole drawer full of them.

It was then that he noticed the lack of weight on his back. No scabbard.

The ribbon shifted and turned, spiralling around the blade as it registered him. Link wasn’t sure how a scarf could _beckon_ to him but it did and he approached, unthreatened by a scrap of fabric.

**_Master._ **

Link stopped, one foot upon a step leading up to the plinth.

_What?_

**_Hello, Master. I have waited for you._ **

Something in Link’s chest dislodged, like he was in free fall, and he just _knew_. This _was_ the Sword. The Spirit of the Sword. He felt rather bad for calling it a scrap of fabric earlier.

“Oh,” he said out loud, unsure how he was supposed to address a _Legendary Blade_ after toting it around for about five years. “Hello. I’m sorry for making you wait.”

The ribbon rippled again and twisted around. He got the impression that it was happy.

**_I will always wait for you, Master. However long it takes._ **

This struck Link as a rather sad thing to say. He’d never really thought about how the Sword was supposed to have a voice and how that must imply that it was alive somehow. Did it have a choice?

**_I had as much of a choice in this as you did._ **

So, none then.

**_You misunderstand, Master. I chose this, as did you long ago._ **

Link wrinkled his nose, “I didn’t chose to be the Hero.”

 ** _The best Heroes never do_** , the Sword supplied and Link noticed how the voice sounded distinctly female but did not change in pitch or tone. **_Yet, here you are_**.

“Of course, I am!” He argued, incensed, “I can’t just leave innocent people to die. I am the only one who can hold the Sword. That’s not a choice.”

It felt odd to use his voice and so strongly too.

**_You chose to be the person you are now._ **

With that, Link fell silent and looked away. He had to think on the argument a little more but the longer he did he realised the Sword was right. He had chosen to respond in a specific way to being told he was the inheritor of destiny; the new vessel for the Hero’s Spirit. He had given it everything he had, to do his best.

He looked back up at the Sword Spirit and he couldn’t remember a time in recent memory he had felt so raw. The beautiful, iridescent ribbon of blue fabric came forward to circle around him.

**_You are my Master and have always been._ **

The ribbon returned to hovering above the Sword, gracing his face as she passed.

 ** _But you have yet to accept that yourself_**.

Link was torn from the Temple and he awoke back in his Dragon body, forcing his eyes open wide. His pupils narrowed to slits as he took in both Princesses looking at him with concern. He couldn’t get his heart to slow down.

“Link? Link are you alright?” Mipha asked, her hand placed upon his back, “I think we could feel you having a nightmare. It’s alright you’re awake now.”

Now matter how hard he tried to answer their inquisitive looks and comforting gestures, he could not explain why his eyes had filled with tears.

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

Link never did explain his dream, unsure if he really could, but he took the message to heart. Everyone around him who had his best interests in mind, including the Master Sword, seemed to be trying to get him to embrace who he truly was and not craft an image he thought would appease people. It was a conflicting time for him. There was a role he was meant to fill and an image that must be expected of him to keep the Kingdom feeling protected, yet the 'Link' the people knew hadn't been seen for a long time now. Would seeing a confident Hero in his own skin be better than a silent one that they could project onto? Regardless, he had come this far with encouragement, he could go the rest of the way if it meant he would be a step closer to wielding the Master Sword in it’s entirety. That was ultimately the most important thing at the end of it all.

The Hero's task was to protect Hyrule, not just act the part. He found the drive to train again, both his body and his abilities.

Training physically was easier than expected as he had so many new tricks up his sleeve to hone and perfect in this Dragon body. Pulling and pushing heavy objects around Zelda's room built back up muscles he had not been testing since his transformation and he was frequently climbing up and down walls to increase his speed. He could sense Zelda's misgivings about him crawling around on her ceiling but it was more out of apprehension that he might drop down and spook someone rather then her lack of faith in his abilities. He tried not to feel too proud of that.

Since his dream, his telepathy had become more like second nature to him. Unfortunately, when put on the spot by Zelda’s questions he often forgot to actually use it to answer her, trapped in the habit of keeping his silence. It took a few instances of Mipha nudging him to respond but once he got used to it, he found speaking in this manner made him a lot less anxious than talking had before. In this way, he knew only the intended recipient, whom he trusted, would hear his answer. His thoughts and opinions could not be twisted or misconstrued by eavesdroppers.

His electrical abilities were a bit harder to train, especially with Mipha in such close proximity, and so he kept his experimentation to creating controlled sparks around his body. Being able to temper the lightning inside him was his main priority. He could worry about using it tactically once winter was over.

As Zelda went about her business in the Castle, Link would accompany her by her side. He had grown to the size of a house cat, drawing many the bewildered eye of other Castle folk as they watched the once tiny Dragon accompany not one, but two Princesses about the place. With each passing day his presence became more and more impressive but mixed in with that awe was an ounce of fear. Fear that such a creature roamed their halls and that the Gods had deemed it necessary for times ahead.

This Dragon was more than a guide, it was a guardian. A Divine Beast.

As they roamed about the Castle – an excuse to stretch their legs instead of staying cramped in Zelda's room all day – Link attempted to reach out to people passing by them in corridors. So far, none of them had reacted in a way that suggested they could hear his telepathic communications but they did start giving him a wider berth in hallways.

“Stop that,” Zelda hissed as they walked into an empty landing, “I know your concentrating but it looks like you’re ready to breath fire at the next unfortunate soul who walks in front of you.”

At Link’s confusion, Mipha waved at his face, “you’re scowling. It does look rather intimidating.”

He smoothed out his face instantly, feeling a little bad, but word must have spread as people still decided to walk very carefully around the Dragon. Even a couple of ministers tried to approach the Princess to have a word but thought better of it and turned around when they caught sight of the Dragon, who apparently was in a bad mood today.

“On second thought, keep scowling,” Zelda requested, as she watched their retreating backs.

Link wasn't sure how threatening he could look given he was about the same height as a foot stool but he obeyed his Princess and resumed his scowling. With his presence deterring any who would disturb them, Zelda and Mipha were too caught up in conversation about Vah Ruta to notice a pair of voices approaching from and intersecting corridor.

Link paused, allowing the Princesses to walk ahead, as he focused his hearing on the approaching footsteps and the very recognisable voice of a young girl.

“ _Please?_ Link isn’t here to take me this year and Dad’s busy.”

“I’m sorry sweetheart, but I won’t have the time to come with you either. This year has been a mess for everyone I’m afraid.”

A scuff of a shoe on the carpet followed by a maternal reprimand had Link seizing up. His mother and his sister were just around the corner. He hadn’t seen them in what felt like an age and yet his immediate response was to bolt. Unfortunately, that course of action would not be subtle, but as the footsteps continued to draw nearer his only other option was to stay as still as possible and be mistaken for architecture. He opted for becoming a statue.

This worked up until the moment they passed by his hallway and he saw his sister hanging off of his mother’s arm. She looked deeply upset. He had always made time for her every winter to keep up the tradition they had held ever since she could walk. But not this year.

_Aryll…_

Link had expected them to pass by without noticing him. What he hadn’t counted on was Aryll reacting to his call. She came to a complete stop and the sudden dead weight caused Lucinda to stumble a little, not expecting her daughter to come to such an abrupt halt. 

“Aryll, what on earth-“ But her daughter was already gone and Lucinda quickly tried to locate her daughter to see what sort of mischief her eleven year old was getting into. It was bad enough that her son was too swift for her to catch anymore and now her daughter was also as slippery. Looking directly behind her she saw her daughter crouching by a wall.

Lucinda sighed and walked over to retrieve her, wishing she didn't have so much to do today. She already felt sad that she couldn’t take her daughter outside Castle Town to play in the snow. The snow in the town wasn’t the best for playing in. Normally, her brother took her and that was partly why Lucinda was currently trying to find the Princess who for once wasn't in her room. Surely Link could come home over the winter?

Kneeling down, Lucinda placed her hand on Aryll's shoulder to turn her around but quickly withdrew again when she saw what Aryll was holding in her arms. A Golden Dragon, with blue and purple wings and a long tail that draped across the floor, longer than she was tall. The Envoy of Farore; the Princess’ Dragon.

"Aryll!” Lucinda hissed, “put it down. That’s a Dragon, not a- Princess Zelda! Princess Mipha!"

The translator quickly stood again and did a half bow as she spotted Zelda and Mipha walking towards them. 

They had eventually realised that Link was no longer  following them and retraced their steps only to find that someone else had located him first. Surprised to see Lucinda again, Zelda had the news about her son in Kakariko on the tip of her tongue but the older woman’s furtive glance up and down the corridor gave her pause. Confident that the immediate area was empty, Lucinda placed a hand against Aryll’s back to guide her over towards the Princesses. The little girl was still holding onto Link in her arms.

Once all five of them were situated close together, Lucinda launched right into the conversation, "I know Link is not in Kakariko."

The words that had been a second away from being spoken from Zelda’s mouth vanished and in it’s place came about such panic and fear she thought she might be sick. Lucinda was not finished.

"Please, just tell me that Link is safe, that he's ok. That's all I need to know."

The irony of the situation was felt by three of the five people currently present.

Lucinda looked at her with the pleading eyes of a parent genuinely worried for the wellbeing of their child and Zelda resisted the urge to let her eyes dart down to the dragon still being _cuddled_ by the little girl. The little girl who also had blonde hair and bright blue eyes.

“Hello, Princess Mipha. Hello, Princess Zelda,” the girl intejected, beaming up at them all, completely unaware of the tension going on above her.

“Hello, Aryll, it’s nice to see you again,” Mipha said, taking the opportunity to duck out of this conversation as she knelt down to her level.

While Mipha engaged Aryll, Zelda was left to try and appease her appointed knight’s mother, a very astute and accomplished woman according to all the things Link had told her. She also idly wondered if Link had any other siblings that she might accidentally come across.

"I can assure you, Link is perfectly safe," Zelda said.

Lucinda maintained eye contact for a long while, searching her with her eyes; a brazen move given that Zelda was the Princess. Then again, this woman had a hand in raising the Hero and Link must have gotten it from somewhere. The staring match would probably have continued on for much longer if the little girl – Aryll, Zelda reminded herself – hadn’t tugged at Lucinda’s cloak.

“Mum, I know where Link is,” she said, with all the naivety a child could offer.

“Aryll-”

“He’s here,” she said, and hoisted Link up above her head.

Zelda was pretty sure she was about a minute away from having a heart attack over this conversation and the sheer incredulity of a _child_ figuring out Link’s identity was about to be her undoing. Mipha was also staring straight ahead at the brick wall opposite her and Zelda was vividly reminded of when Mipha herself had managed to guess Link's identity before even being told. Perhaps Link had more tells than she realised.

Her shock must have passed over to her knight because she was suddenly experiencing undeniable guilt. Zelda stared at Link, who looked about as guilty as he felt.

 _I couldn’t help it,_ he started with and she felt, more than saw, Mipha suck in a breath. _When I saw Aryll I called out to her … she heard me, Zelda. She knows it’s me. I told her._

Somehow, Link’s bond with his sister had allowed him to communicate with her. It appeared that Aryll was perfectly willing to accept that her brother had been turned into a Dragon and therefore the empathetic link between them had been forged near instantly. Hence why she was now waving him back and forth with glee.

Lucinda, on the other hand, had obviously been about to deny Aryll’s claims until she saw the look on the Dragon’s face. A very recognisable and familiar expression even if it was covered in golden scales. One that screamed ‘I’ve done something bad and I know it’s bad’. Her son had worn it on numerous occasions during his childhood, his big blue eyes imploring her to forgive him even though he knew he had done something wrong.

It also didn’t help that a quick glance at _both_ Princesses revealed looks of anticipation and fear.

“Link?!”

He raised a clawed hand and waved at his mother weakly, while his sister beamed with pride as she continued to hold him aloft.

“Please come with me,” Zelda sighed, and Lucinda continued to stare in shock, “let me explain everything to you.”

Very tired and in desperate need of a cup of tea and a sit down, Zelda turned on her heel and waved for them all to follow her to her quarters. This was going to be a very long and awkward conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit shorter than usual but I was a bit pressed for time and this was a good place to end a chapter. I want to start speeding this along now and we probably have one more chapter in winter before we can rejoin the memories.


	15. Secret's Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have re-worked Chapter 14 significantly (changes made 6th Nov) if you want to read that before this update. Also, Aryll is meant to be eleven years old, not seven!

Suffice to say Lucinda took the story of her son’s transformation rather well all things considered. Sitting in the Princess’ room – an unbelievable occurrence by itself – and listening to the tale in stunned silence as Link tolerated his sister’s affections. She was very happy to have her big brother back, even if he wasn’t actually bigger than her anymore.

Lucinda didn’t think she would ever experience such a strange day again in her life. But, in the end, she had gotten the confirmation she needed as to her son’s wellbeing. He seemed fine. Although when the part about him having met _Farosh_  was explained she’d needed a minute to process.

“So, Farosh is now a part of my son?” She asked weakly and Zelda had been about to dispute that until her theory brain kicked in and she realised that, yes, Farosh _was_ now a part of Link.

“In a way, I suppose that’s accurate,” Zelda admitted and she would need to bring this up with Link later. If he hadn’t already instinctively put those two things together.

The rest of the story had continued as normal and the need to keep this event a secret had been met with nothing more than an understanding nod.

“I do apologise again for the deception,” Zelda said, inclining her head as a show of respect. “But without an explanation, we feared how the populace would take his transformation.”

“Thank you, Princess. I’m just relieved to know that he’s unharmed. Are you planning to keep his identity a secret forever?” Lucinda asked, “I know Damien, his father, also misses him, but he does not have the same opportunities as me to wander about the Castle.”

Zelda wracked her brain for why that would be but thankfully Mipha was there to help bridge the gap in her mental capabilities.

“Link’s father works overtime in the Bakery during the winter. I’ve actually been meaning to visit myself. Zora pastries just are not the same and Link has ruined me with the ones he brings from his father’s shop.”

“I’m sure he’d love to see you again, Mipha,” Lucinda said kindly and the Zora smiled bashfully before turning her attention back to Link and his sister.

“You are free to tell him if you wish and I’m sure I can bring Link along with me if what Mipha says about the Bakery is true. I am fond of sweet snacks,” Zelda admitted, and one of Links long ears tilted back at that piece of knowledge. “But as for revealing Link’s identity to a wider audience… we have no plans currently. We still don’t know why this has happened or even if we can-“

Zelda stopped herself suddenly, swallowing the words she was about to admit but Lucinda could guess.

“You don’t know how to change him back,” she said, quietly, a sad smile fixed upon her lips.

“I am sorry. But I just don’t know how people will react and in the end the decision is not really up to me…”

Lucinda watched her with that intent focus again and her eyebrows tilted up in concern. It was a similar look to the one Urbosa used to gaze upon her sometimes.

“You really are stuck between a rock and a hard place, aren’t you?” Lucinda murmured softly and then she clapped a hand over her mouth, as she realised what she had just said and to _whom._ The sound disturbed Link and Aryll from their play. “My apologies, your Highness, I meant no disrespect.”

“Oh, none taken,” Zelda assured her, feeling bemused but her expression was forgiving. “It’s a tricky situation and given the tense nature of the Kingdom, I’m not sure it could cope but that isn’t really fair to Link either.”

_It leaves him without his identity._ A thought left unspoken but understood by all.

_‘I gave that up before I became a Dragon, Princess,’_ Link said for Zelda’s mind only and it was a heavy heart that she conceded that point to him. He really had given up every sense of self he had to become what he thought the Kingdom wanted from him. But perhaps that wasn’t what the Kingdom needed…

“In any case,” Lucinda continued, none the wiser to the communication between Link and Zelda, “I am glad that I know now and would like to be able to visit him from time to time, if that’s possible.”

“Of course.”

While Zelda was wrapping up her conversation with Lucinda, Aryll had been demanding Link’s complete attention; attention he gladly gave her. She had looked inside of his ears, stretched out his wings and even tried catching his tail with her hands while he inched it away from her every time she made a grab for it. After exhausting her inspection of him personally, she had turned her sights to the room around her, spotting the cupboard that Link slept in.

He brought her over to it and lay down inside of it.

“You’re like a cat now!” She exclaimed, reaching a hand inside the cupboard to pat the top of his head and Mipha had to hide her sharp-toothed grin behind a hand.

As Link got back out of his bed, he disturbed his meagre hoard of items that he’d taken with him from his room. A sudden glint of metal caught his sister’s eye and she peered at the collection with scrutiny before realising what they were.

“Hey, I made this for you!” She said, with all the volume control a young child possessed which drew the eyes of both Zelda and his mother.

“What have you got there, Aryll?” Lucinda asked and the little girl lifted up a burnished, bronze star on a strip of green ribbon. “Oh! I remember you making that.”

Aryll grinned proudly as she returned it to the pile and Zelda found herself unconsciously leaning closer to ask, “what is that?”

‘ _Aryll made it for me when I was fifteen,’_ Link explained and then he huffed, ‘ _well, she helped Dad make it as she was only nine, but she was convinced she wanted to be a blacksmith. Still is.’_

“That’s an interesting occupation for a nine year old to want,” Zelda commented but not unkindly. Artisan crafts were a treasured skill set and smithing was often seen as a simply utilitarian occupation but there was also a lot of creativity involved.

Lucinda, who could not hear Link’s answer, was thoroughly confused as the Princess appeared to be talking to no-one. “Princess?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you mind if I ask who you are talking to?”

“Oh!” Zelda gasped, catching on, “Link has the ability to communicate telepathically. An advantage of his new form we suspect, but it can take a while to form the connection with new people. He can converse with myself, Mipha, and apparently Aryll near seamlessly. He was just explaining to me where the bronze star came from. I didn’t realise being a smith was a job young children thought about.”

Lucinda looked from the Princess and then to Link, “you can talk … from your mind?”

He nodded but instead of a joyful response she looked crestfallen.

“But not with me?”

In all honesty, Link hadn’t actually tried yet. He walked towards his mother and sat down in front of her, concentrating hard on her face and tried to compose a simple thought to send to her. It was a bit difficult seeing as he’d spent a large amount of time trying to hide his thoughts from his family, but now that she seemed to have accepted that he was her son she should be willing to accept his attempts to communicate with her.

_‘Can you hear me? … this is Link,’_ he added, a little foolishly. Who else would it be?

But he could see his mother’s eyes widen at the sound of his voice and to his horror they started to fill with tears.

“Link…”

Really not wishing to see his mother start crying, especially not in front of two Princesses, he continued to talk to her.

‘ _Please don’t cry! I’m right here, I didn’t go anywhere and I’m perfectly fine. See?’_

He did a circle in front of her to show off his unblemished form, besides the marks he had obtained in his Hylian body. Lucinda sniffled a little but held her tears at bay. She extended a hand towards him, leaning down so that she could reach him more easily and the offer of contact was clear.

Link wasn’t exactly comfortable with the idea of receiving reassurance from his mother with witnesses present but both Princesses had looked away for the moment, under the guise of inspecting the other items in Aryll’s hands. He sent them his gratitude and met his mothers hand, placing his face against her palm. It was her who needed the reassurance really, not him.

Content with the knowledge that her son was indeed safe and sound, if perhaps in a form he had not chosen, she recomposed herself and took her hand away. Clearing her throat, she said, “Link, why don’t you explain to the Princesses what the other items are?”

It was a smooth, if obvious, diversion from their moment but Link took it in stride and instructed Aryll to bring the items over to him.  Then came the hard part. For the first time, Link attempted to communicate with more than one person at a time using telepathy, broadcasting his words outward for them all to hear. There was no specific target in mind, just projecting precise thoughts out loud. He’d had years of learning self-control and for once he was using that self-control in a way that would actually help him to express himself, rather than hinder.

Then, one by one, he explained why each of the items he had brought with him were significant, bearing a piece of himself each time.

The bronze star on the green ribbon had been a gift that Aryll had made after Link had come home bearing the Master Sword. Link was supposed to be at the Minshi Training Camp, just south of the Lost Woods, and their father had been volunteering there as an instructor. He had worn a tight smile as he shepherded Link into the house, home much earlier than expected, but Aryll knew that something was wrong even if no-one talked about it. So, she had asked and discovered that Link was to be the next bearer of the Sword of Legend but she mustn’t tell anyone about it.

“He’s not ready for that yet. We need to give him time,” their parents had said.

In response she gave him the medal, crafted with the help of their father to remind him that he would always be her big brother before anything else. She hadn’t really understood what would be asked of him at the time, but she could tell that he was worried about it.

The second item he had collected was a wood carved figure of a rabbit. It had been an experiment from Link’s father who had attempted many hobbies after retiring from the military. Once Link was born he’d wanted to dedicate more time at home while Lucinda was required at the Castle. Damien had begun whittling one day only to discover it wasn’t really for him and the best of his creations was a small, round rabbit that became a part of Link’s baby toys.

A collection of oddly shaped and coloured rocks was the result of Link’s minor hoarding problem. Most of them were from swimming in the rivers by Zora’s Domain with the other Zora children. The best and prettiest rocks were found right at the bottom but Link’s lung capacity was never that great and so his meagre collection of stones reflected that.

The last item to explain was a silver filigree pendant from Mipha in the shape of an arrowhead. It had been one of her first metal work creations and she had given it to Link as a birthday present. At the time it was just the pendant, but Link had looped it onto some leather twine to wear around his neck underneath his trainee uniform. It was a nice memento to have on hard training days that seem to drag on forever.

At the end of the explanations, Link felt very tired but there was also a sense of accomplishment. He hadn’t talked at length like that in years and it was an even nicer feeling to realise he had such a captive audience. But now he wanted nothing more than to have a nap.

Sensing his fatigue, Zelda did her best to politely lead Lucinda and Aryll out of the room.

“Apologies, Lucinda, we’ve probably kept you from your work far longer than you anticipated.”

Lucinda, who had not been keeping track of the time, startled. She hurried to collect Aryll from where she sat on the floor with Link in her lap and gently displaced her scaly son onto the sofa.

“Not a problem, but you are quite right. I really must be going,” she turned to look at Link one last time, running her fingers down his head feathers as is she were stroking his hair, “I’ll see you later, Link.”

She moved to leave the room, with Princess Zelda following behind her to open the door, before addressing the Princess as she stood upon the threshold. “Thank you for this, your Highness. I truly mean that.”

And with that, mother and daughter left the room. Aryll leaned back against her mother’s hand as far as she could go to wave good bye to both Princesses and her brother through the still open door.

“Good bye!”

Zelda waved from the door way, before closing the door and turning to see if Link was still awake to answer one last question. But as she turned she caught sight of Mipha shaking her head from the sofa and her eyes fell to the Dragon stretched out, upside down, beside her. It would seem that questions would have to wait.

Link was fast asleep. 

“Oh well, all of this must have been very exhausting for him. Mentally, physically, and emotionally,” Zelda conceded, coming to join Mipha on the sofa.

They both watched as Link’s legs flexed slightly with the sound of Zelda moving but then he settled again. Ever on guard. It was known, without question, that if an incident were to occur he would be awake and moving in an instant.

“I wonder if he ever lets himself truly rest,” Mipha said, thinking along the same lines as Zelda. Or perhaps that was just her own brand of empathy.

“I like to think that now I’m no longer trying to dodge him all the time he has chances to unwind every now and then,” Zelda said. She had at least noticed that he seemed a lot less tense, which she could now attribute as a symptom of stress.

“It does seem to have helped,” Mipha admitted, amber eyes flicking up to her fellow Princess for a brief moment, “but I did try to forewarn him.”

Zelda’s spine straightened a little at that, “what do you mean ‘warn’?”

A rueful smile accompanied the Zora’s next words, “I know how you deal with your problems and they are very different to how Link deals with his. I told him to expect certain … behaviours.”

“So that’s why he was so persistent. My responses were _expected.”_

Zelda wasn’t sure if this made her feel better or worse, but in hindsight at least now she knew that Link hadn’t really held her outbursts against her at the time. He’d had context, even if that didn’t really absolve her of her actions.

“He would have stuck with you either way,” Mipha insisted, “he isn’t one to quit after giving his word.”

“Tell me about it,” Zelda said, but her voice lacked the malice that it might have once carried.

Instead, she found her eyes drifting back over to her Knight, still sleeping peacefully. He’d flipped back over onto his front, face shoved in-between the gaps between the cushions. If he hadn’t have been turned into a Dragon they might never have reached this stage. He might never have been shaken enough to reveal vulnerabilities in his person or receive the wisdom from Urbosa he so clearly needed. He most definitely would not have developed telepathy, for that was a hidden skill of the Princess. Apparently.

While she would not have wished for this to happen to her Knight, she also would not want to go back and change it. As selfish as that was.

_Today was the first time he’d seen his family in… how long?_

“You know, I’m happy you two put aside your differences to realise your similarities,” Mipha said and she was now toying with the arrow-head pendant she had made for him. It was still on the loop he would wear around his neck. “He hasn’t been this open in years. I’ve missed it.”

She dangled the pendant from her fingers and they watched it rotate around slowly, catching the light from outside. It had stopped snowing for a short while and the sky was crystal clear. Mipha’s eyes were critically examining the pendant, taking in all of it’s flaws that gave the object away as one of her first creations but Link had treasured anyway. Zelda’s eye only saw the intricate and skilful metal work that had gone into it’s creation. It really was beautiful.

“I didn’t know you could craft, Mipha. What else have you made?”

For some reason the innocent question made the Zora flush and her eyes darted from the pendant to Link and then away again just as quickly. She cleared her throat.

“I ... uh ... I'm actually making him something back home. Armour.”

The implications of said armour went completely over Zelda's head as she registered one thing. Mipha could _tailor._

“Excellent! Then we can make Link a new Champion's Tunic together. If we ever do decide to go public with his identity he’ll need something to match the group.”

Mipha breathed a sigh of relief or disappointment she was unsure as Zelda got up from the sofa to retrieve her notebook, but she happily agreed to help make Link a new outfit for his Dragon form.

“Wait,” Zelda said, half way back across the room with her book in hand. Mipha felt her blood freeze. “Is this how you knew Link’s measurements? I’ve been wondering.”

“Hmm,” Mipha hummed, unable to unstuck her vocal chords in time to form words. She waited for Zelda to get comfortable again beside her, listening to the sounds of pages turning as she wet her lips and took a deep breath for the next part, “I’ve also been wanting to ask for yours too. If you wouldn’t mind.”

“Are you going to make me armour as well?” Zelda asked, a perplexed but pleased expression stretching her face. The idea of her own armour was fuelling all of her younger fantasies about being a Warrrior Princess. Just like Mipha was.

“… If I can.”

“Oh that would be amazing, thank you, Mipha! I’m sure one of my tailors has my most recent size noted down somewhere. I’ll get them to pass it on to you.”

It was quite incredible how both of the Hylian’s Mipha had managed to fall for were both completely and utterly oblivious. Even with their emotional link, brief as it was, Mipha could see that her feelings were not without hope, but it was curious that she could see the exact same sentiments shared between the two of them as well.

Zelda continued to draw up designs for a new Champion’s item, humming a tune as she went and Mipha very quietly put her face in her hands.

_Hylians._

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

The morning of the Winter Solstice started off like any other; the sun rose and it’s late morning, winter glow illuminated the Princess’ room enough to stir her from sleep. Her compromise for waking with the sun so early during the summer months was that she allowed herself a slight lie in during the winter.

She got up, washed, re-plaited her hair and laid out her clothes for the day to get dressed.

The only difference to the morning of this particular day was that Link had grown so much overnight that he could no longer fit in his cupboard and had become stuck.

One of his back legs and his tail had fallen out at some point and he’d tried freeing himself but with his sudden extra growth his horn had now gotten jammed into an upper corner of the cupboard. Obviously, panic had woken him up rather quickly but he was also not looking forward to the Princess poking her head around the partition screen and finding him like this. Unfortunately, he was going to need her help to get out of this and so he waited.

As Zelda finished putting her various adornments in place she poked her head around the folding partition that shielded Link’s cupboard from the rest of the room to see if he was awake yet. A morning person he was not she had discovered, but he was usually at least awake by this hour simply waiting for her to give him the all clear to come out. He had walked out from behind the screen too early once. Once.

Sure enough there he was, awake and blinking at her but he seemed a bit more … pressed for space than usual. The main part of body was scrunched into a ball and his head was also pushed down at an odd angle causing his neck to bunch up. It was a good thing he had such a long flexible spine but the position certainly didn’t look comfortable and she wondered how long he’d been awake like that.

It took a while for their emotional bond to warm up first thing in the mornings. Lingering fatigue made it hard to parse their own emotions let alone each others, but as Zelda prodded their connection she recognised that Link was quietly trying to quell both panic and embarrassment.

Zelda blinked.

“Link… are you stuck?”

He didn’t respond for a while, instead trying to fidget himself free – and probably not for the first time - but he soon gave up. A small beep signalled his slight distress and Zelda came over to kneel down and help him out.

Another of his growth spurts had occurred, this time entirely overnight, but on this particular occasion he had finally outgrown the small space within the cupboard. Constricted as he was he had no space to get his horn free by himself. Zelda, desperately trying not to laugh for his sake, reached in to help pull him out. However, her humour could not be hidden completely with their emotional connection and Link allowed his displeasure over the situation to be known but was appreciative of the help all the same. As soon as he was able to, Link wrenched his horn out of the wood, taking a couple of splinters with him, and he was finally free.

He pushed his feet into the carpet and arched his back before stretching himself out to his fullest extent for good measure. Stiff muscles rejoiced with his re-newed ability to move. He dug his claws into the rug in retaliation for the Princess laughing at him, but if she noticed she didn’t pick him up on it.

“I think we’re going to need a new space for you,” Zelda said, taking in his new size and the available space within the cupboard. It was incredible that he had managed to fit in there at all.

While she considered all of the spaces in her room, Link lay down on the floor and popped just his head back on his pillow in the cupboard. He huffed mournfully.

_I liked the cupboard._

According to Zelda’s recorded measurements, Link’s growth rate had begun to increase rapidly week to week since they came back from the desert. She was having trouble predicting the size he would eventually grow to be, if he ever stopped. He was now the size of a full grown Hylian Retriever, albeit a very long one and it was clear that her knight would not be able to fit back in his cupboard.

The sofa would do for now, but probably not for much longer.

While the Princess decided on the order of the day, Link finished retrieving all of his personal trinkets to his new sleeping space, along with his Champion’s tunic covered pillow. One by one, he neatly piled them up under the sofa and threw his pillow up onto his new bed. Honestly, Link could sleep anywhere but he liked that pillow and he’d only gotten to wear that tunic very briefly. Which was a shame because he could tell how much work the Princess had put into making it.

“Link?” Zelda asked, zoning back in after having completely missed Link’s rearrangement, “I’ll need to go to the altar now that the sun is up but afterwards how about all three of us go to the library and just … talk. Share stories about each other.”

An uncomfortably tight feeling in his chest was Link’s immediate reaction to such a request but he managed to calm himself. He had nothing to hide from the Princess and he had come to learn that she was mostly just curious. There were no hidden agendas with her and given the pressures she had to put up with on a daily basis he knew that she was not about to use anything he told her against him. Plus, hadn’t he hoped they would be friends when he learned that the Hero was to be partnered with the Princess? He liked to think that they had become friends, so sharing stories together now that he was able to should be an enjoyable past time. This was the sort of activity that reinforced friendships. Besides, Mipha would be there to help balance him out. He nodded.

It had been a long time since he’d been able to just speak in relaxed company.

“If anything I ask of you makes you uncomfortable you can just say no. I’m not going to force you to answer,” Zelda said, and Link realised that she must have been acutely aware of his inner turmoil, linked as they were. As Zelda stood up and made to leave her room she added, “I also extend the same opportunity to you, Link. If there’s anything you want to ask me, please do so.”

She left the room with Link following close behind as he thought about what sort of question he would ask of a _Princess._ Before realising that he had asked some _very_ bizarre things of Mipha and she was a Princess.

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

Turns out, he needn’t have thought that hard about it.

“Favourite food?”

“Oh don’t bother asking him that, Zelda. He’ll eat anything.”

‘ _That’s not true, I hate olives.’_

“What’s wrong with olives?!”

‘ _What isn’t wrong with them?!’_

In hindsight, having a three-way, partially telepathic conversation in the Library perhaps wasn’t the best idea Zelda has ever had, but currently she was too distracted by having to defend her love for olives against her Knight. Mipha was happy to just sit back and watch, whilst privately agreeing with Link that olives were abhorrent. Far too salty for her tastes.

‘ _The texture is ungodly, inside and out, and the flavour doesn’t do it any favours either.’_

“I can’t believe I thought you were a decent cook. I’m never letting you handle food ever again.”

‘ _You thought I was a good cook?’_

Instead of answering, Zelda just shoved at Link’s side, sliding him across the mat next to the fireplace as his smile – which was beginning to border on smug – grew in size. A Dragon’s smile was still a little intimidating.

“Yes, ‘thought’, past tense,” Zelda reiterated, sitting back in her chair with her arms folded.

‘ _You think I’m still a good cook, right Mipha?’_ Link asked, turning to face his Zora friend.

“Of course,” she agreed, in truth but also just to rile up Zelda again.

“Oh, I see how it is. You’re taking his side today.”

“I have to play fair.”

The conversation had started much more benignly, with typical questions such as; what is your favourite colour and what season do you like the best. The conversation had briefly diverted to discuss the debacle that had occurred that morning and Mipha had been highly sympathetic; turned out, Link was deeply averse to having his movement restricted or being restrained. Zelda had sent him an apology for laughing at him but Link had just shrugged it off. He’d trusted her to help him out of it. But as the questions returned to inane questions the answers became a lot more relaxed and they settled into some easy banter, to and fro. It was nice and Link wasn’t finding himself having to second guess every little thought that popped into his head or agonise over how it could reflect upon him. He could just be himself.

“Fine. Besides olives, is there anything else you won’t eat?”

‘ _Not really.’_

Zelda paused and even if Link wasn’t acutely aware of her changing moods he could sense the experiment design going on behind her eyes. They always seemed to get just a bit bigger and more vibrant whenever she was planning something. An awful tell really.

“How much can you eat?” Zelda asked, calculatingly as she eyed him, “because I know you can, you just don’t seem to need to.”

That was news to Mipha, who cranked her head downward to stare at Link’s back and he shrank a little under her bewildered gaze.

“You’re not eating?”

‘ _No, Mipha it’s fine. I just don’t get hungry anymore.’_

Mipha snapped her head back up to stare over at Zelda instead, “there’s something wrong with him.”

‘ _Mipha!’_

“He’s always hungry and no that isn’t an exaggeration,” she explained, ignoring Link who had turned to give her a deeply unimpressed look. “Him and my father would have eating contests.”

“That … must have been something to behold,” Zelda said. It was well known that the Hero was quite small and lithe for his age, so to be able to hold his own against a whale-based Zora was quite impressive. Where did it all go? “Did he ever win?”

Mipha gave a very un-Princess like snort that she immediately covered with her hand, embarrassed. “Not against my father, no. He can eat everyone else under the table though. I didn’t realise Hylians liked raw fish as much as we did until he came along.”

‘ _I used to get really bad stomach aches after it though.’_

“Ah, yes, and then you would come crawling to me to help you.”

‘ _Never again,’_ Link declared, with the air of a man who had severely learned from his mistakes.

“I quite enjoyed giving you tummy rubs,” Mipha lamented, staring out into the middle distance.

She continued to reminisce on past memories, while Link and Zelda dealt with the fallout of _that_ particular piece of information. Princess and Knight made eye contact, with neither of them wanting to be the first to broach the topic whilst both simultaneously knowing that it _had_ to be discussed in order to move forward. Thankfully, after shaking herself out of memory lane, Mipha noticed the awkward tension.

“Tummy rubs plus my healing powers helped with his stomach aches,” she explained and the tension popped like a balloon. “Besides, who doesn’t like tummy rubs? It’s nice.”

“So, you’re saying that as long as you’re on hand, we can try and test the limits of Link’s eating prowess?” Zelda suggested, making the decision to completely vault over Mipha’s last comment.

“Good luck with that, I’ve been trying to find his limit for years.”

‘ _I am right here,’_ Link bemoaned, but it was no use and he couldn’t really begrudge his two best friends bonding over an activity. Even if that activity was probably going to be at his expense at a later date. A problem for future him.

It was with a start that he realised that these two people really were his best friends and he felt an equal returning sentiment being reflected right back at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me @ Me: Ok, we’ve gotta get a specific event in at the end of this chapter  
> Also me, knowing full damn well I go off on tangents: Stfu
> 
> I’ve started NaNoWriMo to encourage myself to get a move on with future chapters. As of today I am at 15k/50k. I find my writing to be far more clunky and restricted if I’m trying to write very quickly before an upload so getting these typed out in advance gives space to breathe. 
> 
> Word count: 5,419


	16. Courageous Image

The rest of Winter passed by with only a few notable occurrences, most of which were Link being able to reunite with his family.

Link had been able to greet his father when Zelda requested a box of various baked goods to be delivered up at the Castle. Lucinda had informed her husband of the news about their son and so Damien took the excuse for what it was to make the trip up the Castle himself. After all, it wasn’t often that a Baker from Castle Town received a specific request from the Princess.

Damien was large in frame and just as large in personality. He’d reminded Zelda of Tapidor and she could understand how the two men were such good friends in the military. He gave a controlled bow to his Princess and presented her with the box of confectionaries she had ordered, but he beamed upon spotting his son. Gathering Link up into a burly hug nearly swallowed him completely and Zelda had turned away to bury the envy she felt with pastries.

Sadly, he could not stay for long or there would be a riot in his store.

“Come home soon, Link,” he’d whispered, giving his son one last hug which caused Link to wheeze. “We miss you.”

Despite all of Zelda’s efforts to hide the jealousy and despondency she experienced, Link had still felt how alienated she became whenever he interacted with his family. He had seen for himself that her father was not living up to his parental role as well as he should be and Zelda no longer had her mother. So, he’d tried to subtly involve her with his own family whenever he could instead.

Subtle he was not, but Mipha had been entirely onboard with the operation and joined in alongside her so she didn’t feel like the odd one out.

“I’m sure they’d be happy to accommodate another Princess,” Mipha assured her as they’d walked down to meet Link’s mother and sister by the frozen moat for some ice skating. “I’ve been bothering them for years and they don’t seem to mind.”

“Yes, but you’re not their next monarch and you’ve been _friends_ with Link for years _,_ ” Zelda fretted, wondering if she could just turn around and stay sulking in her room for the day instead. “I was awful to him. Why is he trying to be so kind to me?”

“Because that’s the kind of person he is. If he resented you at all, he wouldn’t have offered,” Mipha pointed out and their conversation had come to a close as she waved over to Link and his family.

Ice-skating had been fun, with Aryll taking to the ice like a duck on water and Mipha was finally given the opportunity to show off and demonstrate her acrobatic abilities. Zelda, sadly, discovered she had all the balance of a single-tread wheelbarrow on the ice and remained on the bank beside Link, who did not trust the frozen moat to take his weight. If the tensile strength of the ice hadn’t been enough of an excuse to simply watch from the sidelines, then his inability to co-ordinate all four of his feet when faced with zero traction was another. He hadn’t felt like injuring himself and so he’d laid down in the snow, keeping the Princess under one of his outstretched wings to stop any late falling flakes from collecting in her hair.

It had been nice to simply sit in silence and watch his sister and oldest friend zoom about on the ice, creating patterns on the frozen surface in their wake. Peaceful.

But now, the winter snow was finally beginning to melt, the fields of white receding back into the north of Hebra and revealing bright green tender grassland behind it. Spring was on the way and with it came Hylia’s Rebirth. A week long festival that welcomed in new growth and the start of a new year. The week of festivities culminated in a party held up at the Castle and a networking ball for those with gold-lined pockets.

Of course, this was also a time to have Princess Zelda paraded around to inspire hope in the populace. Unfortunately, with her powers still refusing to manifest, Zelda was not particularly feeling the holiday cheer. It was almost a Divine Blessing that she had missed Nayru’s Celebration at the start of winter due to her travels. Another festival she used to enjoy and now dreaded.

“Link,” Zelda mumbled into her hands, sitting only half dressed upon her bed in a fit of despair. “If I just … ran away, you’d cover for me, right?”

‘ _Bold of you to assume I wouldn’t be running for the hills right after you.’_

“That’s fair.”

She knew the party was approaching but it was odd that she had not been given any details so far. Usually she had a hand in _some_ part of the organisation. Apparently, it had been decided that such tasks would be too much for her this year.

So, it was a surprise when the Court Poet, a very performative Sheikah by the name of Derrick, strode up to the Princess in a corridor just off of the Great Hall with an update from the King.

“His Majesty has arranged for the remaining Champions to attend the celebrations on New Years Day and has entrusted me with the itinerary for the days events to give to you,” which he did, procuring it from within his deep blue cape with a flourish.   

Zelda took the list from him with a polite word of thanks and quickly skimmed over it’s contents while he waited to regain her attention patiently. Occasionally his eyes drifted over to the Dragon standing directly behind her but he tried to keep his eyes fixed upon the Princess. Who wouldn’t?

Zelda sighed once she reached the end of the document and rolled it back up. Sadly, a Princess’ gown did not come with pockets so she would have to hold it for now. Or maybe she could make pockets.

‘ _Can I have pockets?’_ Link piped up, liking the idea of having his korok pouch with him again.

‘ _Where would you attach said pockets, exactly?’_ Zelda asked and while Link thought about his answer she refocused her attention on the Poet.

“Thank you for bringing this to me, Derrick. It’s appreciated. I was beginning to worry about it since I haven’t been involved in it’s planning this year.”

“You are most welcome your Highness. I must say I have enjoyed seeing your increased presence about the Castle these days, it’s as if Spring were already upon us. But I do hope your absence was not due to anything ailing you?” He enquired, leaning to the side a little to confirm that there was still no Knight behind her. He smiled. “I see you that you are still free of that gloomy shadow that used to follow behind you as well!”

“Shadow?” Zelda asked, not quite following. Was he being poetic again? Was a shadow meant to represent her dour mood and lingering sadness as she moped about the place?

“Your Knight,” Derrick prompted, and Zelda had to bite her lip a little as her mood did a complete turn around into amusement.

‘ _I’m not gloomy,’_ Link refuted, sounding a little insulted.

Zelda ignored him as she responded to Derrick, “no, my Knight is still training in Kakariko.”

Derrick gave her a shrewd look, leaning in with a secretive smile, “is he though? Come now Princess, we both know that isn’t true but I promise I won’t say anything. My lips will never share one of your secrets.”

Miffed, Link restrained a growl as the Sheikah got just a bit too close for his liking, but Zelda didn’t seem uncomfortable so he did nothing. She did not require his input and until she did he would keep his peace but he couldn’t help the deep-rooted feeling of dislike he had for the Poet. He’d never really liked him. Far too smarmy, mistaking grand gestures and flowery language for an actual personality.

‘ _That’s rich, coming from you,’_ Zelda pointed out and Link sniffed.

‘ _I refused to have one at all. That’s different.’_

“Still,” Derrick continued, backing out of Zelda’s personal space, “I have missed seeing you about the Castle. The place always seems so much colder without your presence to brighten up the halls, your smile capable of warming the most frigid of hearts. Had I known I would see you today, I would have brought you flowers, though I would have to search far and wide to find some that could even hold a candle to your visage.”

‘ _… oh for heaven’s sakes,’_ Link despaired.

Zelda resisted kicking him.

“Thank you, Derrick, but I’ve merely been busy. I have a lot more Research material from the Great Plateau to look over so that’s been keeping me occupied,” Zelda answered, truthfully. She liked Derrick, he was kind to her – if a bit grand in his gestures - but she also didn’t know him well enough to start discussing all of her ins and outs of her days.

“Really? They should be more considerate of your time, if I’m honest. You are involved in much more important heavenly work than getting your hands dirty with those old contraptions.”

Derrick’s words would have wounded Zelda if she weren’t aware that he meant it as a compliment. She was also still privy to Link’s side commentary.

‘ _Oooh’,_ he winced, ‘ _swing and a miss there, buddy.’_

It was impressive how he managed to make ‘buddy’ sound like a threat. It was obvious Link did not like Derrick, which was odd given how utterly harmless the poet was. Zelda doubted he’d hold up in a light breeze.

Link strangled a snort, but something of his countenance must have changed for Derrick looked down at him curiously. They eyed each other for a moment and the atmosphere was beginning to border on awkward for Zelda before Derrick returned to her.

“Can it understand us?”

“It?”

“The Dragon,” he clarified, eyes switching between Link and Zelda rapidly.

“Of course he can,” she said, as if it were obvious, “he’s very intelligent.”

‘ _In what universe-‘_ Link began to ask but the Sheikah started speaking again.

“I don’t think he likes me much, Princess,” Derrick said, with a nervous chuckle. Link continued to stare at him.

‘ _Wonder why.’_

‘ _Link, be nice,’_ Zelda admonished.

‘ _Why? He’s not being nice to you.’_

_‘He doesn’t know his words hurt, he thinks I’m ‘above’ all this Ancient Research.’_

_‘That’s somehow worse,’_ Link countered.

Zelda sighed. He was right, in a way, but that was her fault for not being clear that she enjoyed her Research. That her research allowed her to be her and not the glorified image people, including Derrick, seemed to have of her. Then again, the Poet was an obvious romantic and liked to emphasise and overstate a persons virtues, which she liked to be reminded of from time to time.

“I actually enjoy researching the Ancient Technology,” Zelda said, deciding to just be out with it. It wasn’t exactly a secret to anyone else. “I can only pray for so many hours in the day.”

Link’s sentiments on the matter were that she could stand to do a lot less, but he didn’t project it. He was too busy watching the gears crank together in Derrick’s head.

“Oh! Well never let it be me who stops you from following your dreams, Princess,” Derrick declared, making a sweeping gesture before her, all grandiose and ceremony.

Link wanted to zap him. ‘ _You condescending little-‘_

“But I’m afraid we must be going!” Zelda announced, drowning out whatever unkind word Link was about to label the Sheikah with, “mustn’t keep my father waiting. He’s not much on patience these days.”

She curtseyed to the poet, who gave a fluid bow in return and Link managed to roll his eyes mentally. It was quite the feat.

‘ _You’re being awfully sassy today,’_ Zelda noted, as she brushed past the Poet who warily stepped out of the way for the Dragon to pass him too.

‘ _Sassy?’_  Link asked, but he didn’t get a reply as Derrick turned around to call after the Princess one last time.

“I wish you well, Princess, and good fortune with your research. I know you will excel at everything you set your mind to!”

He then did a perfect turnabout on the ball of his foot, sending his cape swishing about him and flounced off down the hallway. The destined duo watched him go in complete silence until Link slowly tilted his head up at the Princess.

“Don’t,” she forestalled, “I know he’s incredibly over the top, but it’s nice to be flattered every once in a while. He’s a poet, it’s what he does.”

A deep inhale and exhale followed from the Dragon and he rolled his head back over to where the Poet had just departed.

‘ _I suppose he isn’t too bad, but I’ll make sure to have a compliment for you every morning if it’s flattery that’ll keep you going.’_

Ignoring the flutter that Zelda felt in her stomach after hearing that she started walking again. While in theory the idea sounded nice, she wasn’t quite sure how long it would be until the novelty wore off. Besides, there was a fine line between sincerity and silliness with that sort of thing.

“That won’t be necessary.”

They continued to walk in silence for another minute or so before she felt a tell-tale flicker of mischief.

“Don’t you dare,” she whispered out of the corner of her mouth but it was too late. She’d given Link time to think on it.

‘ _Oh Princess, with your hair spun from sunlight, how are you on this fine morning?; Your eyes are positively sparkling this winter’s eve!; Doth my sight deceive me or am I witnessing a heavenly apparition before me?’_

Zelda fought to keep her face neutral and started to walk down the hall faster, as if the increasing distance between herself and her Knight would stop the onslaught. It did not.

‘ _Your wit and cunning are matched only by your beauty, your Highness; Your smile provides the only light I need in my life; To be near you is to be beside the Goddess herself.’_

“I think I preferred you when you were mute,” Zelda muttered, but she slowed down to let Link catch up from where he had not changed pace at all.

‘ _You wound me, Princess,’_ Link said, not sounding wounded at all, but then his tone changed. ‘ _In all seriousness though, that Poet and I have one thing in common.’_

“Oh? And what’s that?”

Link lifted his head up so that he could look at her directly, catching her eyes as she briefly looked over.

‘ _We both think you’re brilliant and that you’ll succeed at everything you do.’_

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

It was the day of the ball and Zelda had already suffered a stress dream in the early hours of the morning.

Disturbed from his slumber by the avalanche of panic he felt from the Princess, Link scrambled up from the floor and padded over to her side. Her modesty was far from his mind as he gave her a quick inspection for injury, satisfied when he found none. She had a pillow held tightly against her face so he couldn’t check there but through their warming connection he could tell that she was just upset and not in any physical danger.

Unable to breath enough for words, Zelda wanted to send him off to fetch Mipha but that would require him to leave her alone which he was unlikely to do in her current state. Instead, she reached out for him blindly with one hand, eventually patting his face in the dark. He responded by pushing his head forward into her hand.

‘ _I’m here.’_

When he had been smaller, Zelda had patted her bedside for him to hop up onto the covers after a nasty dream a few times. His glow had been a comforting point of focus and his presence gave her strength. It was highly unorthodox and the gesture was a bit too familiar to be shared between a Princess and her Knight, but she didn’t much care when panicked and wanting to feel support beside her. Link just wanted her to feel better.

Now that he grown big enough to rest his head on top of hers while standing, however, he didn’t want to test his luck and stuck with laying his head on the duvet next to her. She eventually released the pillow – now a darker colour than it usually was in places – and shuffled herself down the bed to curl up into a ball facing him. Within another hour she was back to sleep.

When Zelda woke in the morning again, properly this time, she found that Link had moved back to his spot on the floor by the sofa – the piece of furniture having served it’s purpose as his temporary bed. He could still lay across it, but his rapid growth had made it a tad pointless when only half of his body could be on it at any one time. Zelda had made a point to buy a new plush rug for him to sleep on instead of letting him sleep on the bare floor and he took full advantage of it’s softness whenever he could. It was very comfortable and she was almost tempted to get one for herself.

With the morning light making a mockery of her nightly fears Zelda began the process of getting out of bed. She had appreciated having Link next to her, confident in the knowledge that she was safe, so it was a shame that he had moved back. However, she accepted that he would not risk overstaying his welcome, he had done his job. The calamitous events of her dream had been held at bay and she had duties to perform.

“Link, would you mind collecting the Champions from the main gates for me this morning?” Zelda asked, knowing full well that he was actually awake, just keeping his eyes closed like the gentleman he was, “they should be arriving soon and Mipha will be here any minute to help me get things ready. Once you’ve got them bring them back up here. Mipha and I have something to give you. ”

Content to leave her in Mipha’s capable hands and a little apprehensive about what the two Princess’ had in store for him, Link got up from his comfy rug. He arched his impressive spine in a cat-like stretch before vacating the room and navigating his way outside. He was looking forward to the other’s shocked expressions once they saw how big he had gotten and it was always nice to stretch his legs when given the chance.

Sadly, he did not quite make it to the front gates where the Champions waited as he encountered resistance by the second gatehouse. Resistance in the form of Lord Eurol and a contingent of guards. Very nervous looking guards.

“Ah, the Princess is not with it, that might make this easier,” Eurol noted, “guards, place the restraints. Quick as you can please.”

Link’s mind came to a screeching halt. What had he done? Why was he being arrested? Then logic kicked in and he remembered that these people thought he was just a Divine Guide. He wasn’t being arrested. But then why was he being restrained?

The Guards, after being given a direct order from the councilman, could only obey and came forward holding chains that connected to long iron spikes laying on the ground. Link wasn’t sure if those chains would hold him if he really tested them but he also didn’t want to struggle and accidentally injure one of these soldiers. They were only doing what they had been told and they couldn’t see a reason not to, so Link stayed still. He stood there, feigning confusion and simple-minded curiosity as each guard snapped manacles around his wrists and ankles, before fastening a loop of chain around his neck.

Oh, Lord Eurol really didn’t want him going anywhere for some reason.

Looking closer under the helmets Link startled with the realisation that he recognised some of these people. All of them were wide eyed, with either fear or disbelief he couldn’t tell, but he knew that most of them would rather not be doing this. Out of respect for a Dragon or their own safety Link didn’t know, but despite his rising displeasure with being chained down he kept himself calm and motionless.

Princess Zelda would notice he was taking a long time and come find him. She had to come this way herself at some point, she would see him and free him. He would be fine.

That or the General would arrive.

“Councilman Eurol! What the hell are you doing?!” Tapidor shouted, striding across the courtyard with a couple of Royal Guards flanking him. One of them peeled away after a frantic command from the General and headed back towards the Princess’ tower.

“I am securing a possible security hazard,” Eurol explained haughtily, now supervising a couple of soldiers as they drove the metal spikes into the ground to secure Link’s chains.

Tapidor caught Link’s eye for a fraction of a second before looking back to Eurol. Neither were sure how to get out of this on their own. Tapidor _could_ order his men to undo the chains and free Link, but then he would need to provide a reason to the Councilman and if he did not then Eurol would no doubt spread word of ‘insubordination’ right before a social event. Even a General could be replaced.

As Tapidor thought over the pros and cons of various actions another spike was driven into the ground. Link really hoped he wasn’t going to have to demonstrate his new strength for the first time with witnesses. He could already envision the mess he’d make of the turf.

Thankfully, just as he began to subtly tug on the chains with his claws, he spotted Zelda charging towards them with Mipha trailing behind. He could sense their confusion and shock, which morphed into outrage and horror when they saw the scene fully.

“What is happening here?!”

The Guards driving the spikes into the ground stopped for a moment but an impatient wave from Eurol had them continuing. The Councilman turned to the Princess and addressed her as if he were facing a child.

“The Dragon poses a potential safety concern for the guests arriving tonight. It would be prudent to have it secured. After all, you said it yourself, your Highness, you have no control over the beast." He turned to the courtyard at large, "we have been told that it is an Envoy of Farore but we only have the Princess' word on this, it could be an agent of the Calamity for all we know, sent to misguide her. We must keep it under control and I intend to do just that!”

To demonstrate his words with action, Eurol seized hold of one of the chains and gave it a yank. Caught off guard by the action, Link’s head was jerked forward as the chain loop around his neck caught around his jaw and head frills. He roared suddenly out of shock more than pain and the noise sent the soldiers near him scattering. He’d never made a sound like that before, it was very loud, but it was almost drowned out by Zelda’s scream of panic.

“Link!”

Already unsettled by her dream last night, and the feedback she could feel from her Knight, she had cried out without thinking. Verbally, where everyone else could hear her. She clapped a hand over her mouth.

Everything stopped; the clinking of chains fell silent, the clang of hammers on metal spikes ceased, and the retreating guards froze in place. The Royal Guard standing by Mipha, who had been sent to retrieve the Princess, scanned the area as if trying to locate the Hylian Swordsman. But then, as one, every single person in the courtyard followed the Princess’ line of sight back towards the Dragon. Back towards Link.

“I’m sorry but … _What_ did you just call it?” Lord Eurol hissed, the chain in his hand slipping out of his grasp.

Zelda still had a hand firmly over her mouth but Tapidor could see that the jig was up. Sure, they could try and salvage this situation, but he knew people had been getting suspicious and it had to happen eventually. Now was a good a time as any.

“Link. The Dragon is Link,” the General sighed, rubbing a hand over his chin before deciding to just go all in with the story. “He was transformed by Farore, or so we believe, at the Spring of Courag. We don’t know why or how and we feared that the news would cause a panic, so we were waiting to see how this played out. But…”

Here, the General simply gestured over to Link, who was shaking the chains back down to his shoulders, clear for anyone to see.

 _Well, there goes my anonymity_ , Link thought, reflecting back on all the instances people would now be able to retroactively associate with their Hero. He rotated his head about his neck a couple of times, pleased that there wasn’t any damage or pain. He hadn’t been pulled that hard.

There was a stunned silence as everyone continued to process and then, out of the blue, came a cry of, "he bit me!"

Eurol was now pointing at Link, stiff with rage as he recalled the last time he had interacted with the ‘Dragon’. Clearly, _that_ was the most important connection the Councilman could make at the moment.

Zelda, still a little too caught up in her monumental slip up, took her hand away to reply without actually checking what she was about to say. "Well, you were being very rude about him."

After a short pause, smothered laughter and chuckling gradually swept through the guards scattered about the courtyard. The sound wasn’t very loud but from the complete silence it sprung up from it was certainly noticeable and Zelda felt herself flush. 

 _‘They’re not laughing at you,’_ Link assured her, taking no small amount of delight as Eurol whipped his head this way and that to try and identify one single perpetrator of the noise.

_‘They’re not?’_

_‘No. None of them like Eurol, but they all like you.’_

Zelda had a hard time truly believing that but she felt gratified to know that at least her momentary lack of decorum hadn’t just given the Castle folk another reason to ridicule her. Unfortunately, Eurol was not done.

“Is this a laughing matter?” He spluttered, “if this is to be believed, that creature is none other than our Hero and how has he been behaving? No matter what, the Hero must always act with Hyrule’s best interests in mind, not going on field trips and assaulting members of the council! He should be held accountable for his actions and reminded of what is at stake. I would also like some clarification as to why the council was not involved in any of the decisions regarding this matter!”

Dread weighed down Link’s heart but he refused to let it show in his body. Even if the councilman’s words were true he refused to give the man the satisfaction of seeing him buckle. He had gotten lax, he had let his persona slip and forgotten his duty as the Hero. But just as shame was about to take root, he felt Zelda’s burning white hot rage sear it all away only to replace it with encouragement and support.

“You deserved it,” the Princess snapped, causing the councilman to choke on the next words bubbling up his throat and the remaining Guards jaws to drop. Eurol could do nothing except visibly brace as the Heir to the Throne advanced on him, her royal blue skirts swishing in the wake of her powerful strides. “You were being rude and deliberately malicious to invoke a reaction. My knight deemed you a threat to my person and reacted accordingly as best he could seeing as his only available weapons currently are his teeth and claws. Might I also remind you that Link was smaller than a housecat at the time and didn’t actually do you any damage. I have seen those teeth slice through plated metal armour when he was just a fraction of the size he is now. If he had wanted to actually hurt you, your hand would be in shreds.”

The atmosphere of the entire courtyard became electrified as guards, staff, and curious courtiers a like were left stunned by the sight of their Princess so enraged. Even Link was feeling a little shell shocked, frozen in place by her aura. He had never seen the Princess look so... powerful. It was a good look. He saw Mipha, left standing at the edge of the courtyard, with her mouth slightly open and stars in her eyes.

_Looks like I’m not the only one._

“As for the manner in which the Hero now finds himself, quite frankly, Lord Eurol, that is none of your business. I do not need to explain the every whim of the Goddesses to you. As it is, the Hero is sent by Farore and as my Knight he may also act as a guide during times when Hyrule is threatened. Maybe I should bring up your poor manners and lack of candour among the other members of the council. Allow them to also express their opinions. Remember, Councilman, that you are replaceable, Link is not.”

Now thoroughly cowed, Eurol took a couple of steps back and bent into a bow.

“My apologies Princess. I meant no disrespect and it will not happen again,” Eurol assured, keeping his eyes down.

“See that it doesn’t,” Zelda said before turning her attention to the guards standing uncertainly next to the Dragon that had now been identified as one of their own. “Please untangle Sir Link from those restraints, we have places to be.”

The guards had never moved faster to carry out an order in their life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A fun fact, I’ve based the Sheikah Court Poet off of the Elf Bard in our DnD party; “Just call him Derrick coward”
> 
> Shorter chapter than usual because the scene at the end of this was over 2k words long so it’s been transplanted into the next chapter. I’m just glad we’ve finally gotten to Fierce Zelda – her tolerance for bullshit is getting real low guys.
> 
> Word Count: 5,018


	17. Rinse Repeat

Following the incident in the Courtyard, word of Link’s identity spread faster than a fire in a summer parched forest. As such, there needed to be some manner of damage control, however, it was obvious what the majority of the speech given at the ball tonight would be addressing. At least no-one else had come forward with their objections about the cover story that had been shared with the public - probably because Zelda had done a good job of explaining that one while she had been chewing out the Councilman.

She had already been given the odd smile and wink from other courtiers of the Castle. They at least got a kick out of seeing their Princess so animated and fiery. Plus, the response so far had been positive in the majority and why wouldn’t it be? The Castle had it’s Hero back, having realised that he had never left them at all.

Sadly, not everyone could see the silver lining in these situations.

The King was not best pleased. He had called an emergency meeting with Impa, Zelda, and the Champions presence required. Link was excused as he had been shepherded away by the General, thinking it best to keep him out of sight for now. The remaining Champions who had arrived at the Castle that morning, found it abuzz with gossip and it didn’t take them long to piece together what had happened. Everyone knew Link was the Dragon, it seemed, unfortunately they themselves had not been given the chance to see him before he was hidden away and they had to attend the meeting.

“Had to happen at some point,” Daruk had shrugged, and the rest of the Champions privately agreed but King Rhoam was not quite so forgiving as he paced across the council room.

“I recognise that the story could not last forever. Eventually, the Hero’s absence would have been a greater concern for the people, but the reveal should have been handled more carefully.” The King turned to stare at his daughter and she knew the reprimand was coming before he even took a breath for words. This was her fault. Again. “This situation should have been given more tact. An act of the Goddesses is not as believable to all as it is for some. Especially when involvement of the Goddesses seem to be in short supply these days.” 

“Rhoam,” Impa said, a touch of warning to her voice that made the Champions want to breathe just a little bit quieter. Not just anyone got away with referring to the King by his first name. “That’s not fair. You agreed that the best course of action was to keep Link’s transformation a secret and you asked for a cover story. Zelda provided one. As it turns out, it’s highly likely that it’s an accurate description of what happened to Link. It gave us the time we needed to accommodate the change and people will come around to the idea just as we did. They are already used to his presence as a Dragon so his true identity will be a blessing in retrospect. We all knew the deception would not last forever.”

It was rare that Rhoam was ever directly confronted and put in his place and there was no-one alive other than Impa who tried. Urbosa had plenty she would like to say to the man but she risked being able to see Zelda at all and she therefore kept her comments to herself. Zelda could still see her jaw click as she bit back several more opinions. The King sighed.

“You are right, as usual, Impa. My apologies, Zelda.”

Unable to actually believe the words she had just heard, Zelda simply nodded in silence but she found herself wishing Link was there behind her. She hoped he was having a slightly better time than she was as they moved their attention to tonight’s festivities.

He was, as it turned out, but only marginally.

Link had been brought forward before his fellow members of the military by General Tapidor, with the express purpose of apologising for their deception despite the necessity and to give a formal induction. The majority of the Castle’s forces were congregated within the Guard’s Chamber, with those on duty still patrolling outside. Predictably, there were a few people that were a little hesitant to believe the rumours floating around but once Link started speaking, that scepticism vanished.

‘ _I apologise for my dishonesty,’_ he broadcast, praying that his telepathy did not fail him when he most needed it. ‘ _Hyrule needed to believe that nothing had happened to the Hero. So, the decision was made to have me ’out of sight’. It was not a reflection upon any of you and I hope I have not insulted anyone with my actions. I will endeavour to uphold my oaths to the best of my new abilities as I continue to work with you all.’_

Link fell silent as he ran out of things to say. What else could he say? Sorry I didn’t fight the decision? Sorry we kept you in the dark it was less risky that way? The General also had some words to say, his own brand of an apology, but Link was focused inward too much to hear it. He wasn’t sure what would happen now, people knew who he was. He had just been getting the hang of being free to be himself and it had felt _good._ Now he was going to have to step back into his role as the Hero. Already he and the Hero had begun to feel like two different people. They were not one and the same to him anymore.

A blue ribbon flashed before his minds eye and he remembered a monotone voice; **_You are my Master and have always been … but you must learn to accept that yourself._**

His gut clenched. Was that what the Sword meant? That he had to learn to be both himself and the Hero at the same time?

He jumped back to reality, wings flexing a little, as he felt something touch his shoulder. Looking down he saw the General’s gauntleted hand – the leather still singed from where he had shocked him weeks ago - placed upon his scales and Link raised his eyes up to see his superior watching him with mild concern.

“You ok, Link?” He asked.

Link blinked at him, then once again more slowly as he turned to see the bulk of the armed forces watching him, some with looks of wonder and others with uncertainty and even pity. His chest seized and with horror he felt the urge to cry.

_No! Not here, we’re not doing this._

He clamped down on everything. He shut everything off and stared back out over his fellow knights with a blank expression. He was fine. He nodded back to his commanding officer.

‘ _I’m fine,’_ he said and Tapidor took his hand away - rather quickly if Link thought about it, which he didn’t.

“I’m sure this has come as a shock to most of you, so I’d prefer you all to air your grievances now so we can move on,” Tapidor prompted.

Link absolutely did not feel like throwing up as he waited for the anger and disappointment from the people he had once trained side by side with for years. He hadn’t even realised his vision had drifted away to an unoccupied space of the Chamber until he noticed people shifting in his periphery.

“Really?” Tapidor said, sounding disbelieving, “none of you have a problem with this? One of your own has been turned into a Dragon and none of you have anything to say?”

“Begging your pardon, sir,” said a Royal Guard near the back, her voice carrying easily over the heads of the younger soldiers near the front, “but you asked if we had a problem with your orders. Not Link’s situation. You had orders to follow and you did. Not anything for us to get angry at you for.”

The Knight next to her piped up to add, “we can get angry on _your_ behalf if you’d like, sir.”

A wave of sniggering succeeded this announcement and the General gave a weary sigh. He should have known better than to try and have a serious conversation with this lot.

“Yeah, I mean, we had to put chains on _Link._ Shouldn’t he be angry at us? Sorry about that by the way, Sir,” one of the guards at the front said. Link refocused his eyes to look at the one who had spoken and he recognised them as the one to place the chains around his neck. They had been so afraid.

Thoroughly taken aback, Link could only shrug at them, which caused yet more giggling.

 _They had been afraid of me. But they’re not anymore. They’re just nervous … for my reaction?_ Link pondered. As his eyes flickered from one face to the next he noticed that now that they could see the lack of irritation or stress on his features they were relaxing. A Dragon you knew was better than a Dragon you didn’t, but how well did any of them know him really.

_They knew me before I shut myself off, so better than most._

It helped that they had been given time to get used to the idea of a Dragon being common place about the Castle so accepting that the Dragon was their missing comrade was just something else to get used to. Link shared a look with the General who looked very tired but also relieved. Too bad he couldn’t read him like he could read Zelda or Mipha.

He wondered how they were doing in their meeting with the King.

“So, it’s true then?” Another voice piped up, “you really did bite Lord Eurol?”

Link immediately grimaced and the guilt on his face must have been obvious because there was a sudden explosion of noise.

“Fucking right!”

“Most excellent.”

“Sweet Nayru’s ass I’ve been praying for something to happen to that little shit for years.”

“Did you see the Princess though!?”

And so on.

Eventually, Tapidor called the room to order, but as soon as he managed to get them all under control another voice disturbed the peace. A voice that Link could actually put a face and a name to.  It was one of the boys from his old training group, now a young man and Link would be lying if he said he hadn’t been just a little bit attracted to him at one point. Rory was a lanky brunette, a couple of years older than Link, and had a face full of freckles. He was also now a Captain if the shiny badge on his tabard wasn’t a trick of the light.

“Does this mean we have to deal with him in the training grounds again?” Rory asked, sounding bored but wearing that cheeky grin that used to make Link’s heart melt.

“Oh, hell no,” said a voice from Link’s left. He turned to spot none other than Ashei, another one of his old group and the same person who’d nailed him in the crotch years ago - before they were grouped together. Though not very tall, what she lacked in height she made up for in muscles and perfect complexion. It really wasn’t fair. “He was bad enough as a Hylian, ain’t no way I’m going up against him now he has knives for teeth.”

“That isn’t anyway for a member of the Castle Guard to talk, now is it?” Rory goaded and he got a middle finger sent back his way for his troubles.

 _Oh, she did pass the exam then,_ Link deduced.

‘ _Congratulations on making the Guard, Ashei,’_ he said, stretching his neck so that he could see her over the heads of the crowd. He smiled.

“Holy fuck, thanks but stop smiling,” she said. Unable to help himself in present company, he grinned wider. “You lil’ shit.”

“He is absolutely training with us,” Rory declared, gesturing around him at his fellow guardsmen for support, “why does he get to ditch?”

“That could be fun…”

“Sure why not, let’s fight the Hero of Hyrule who just so happens to be a Dragon. What could go wrong?”

“We could pretend he’s a Lynel.”

A snort, “shouldn’t be too hard.”

“Didn’t we used to do that before?”

“Yeah, but now he’s closer to the size of one.”

As the Chamber devolved into banter and chat yet again, General Tapidor breathed in a calming breath before bellowing the crowd into obedience. But a consensus had been reached.

Training had never sounded so appealing and honestly, Link had been dying for a good workout.

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

The evening to celebrate the turning point for the new year was upon them and Zelda was staring at herself in a full length mirror and trying to shake the idea that it was a stranger looking back at her. Admittedly, a pretty stranger who followed the same motions as she did but still a stranger.

Her tailor had made her a beautiful dress for the occasion, modelled after the old paintings that depicted Hylia’s involvement on Earth but in the bright blue of the Champions. The long sleeves flared out at her wrists like the flower of the Calla Lily and her long, trailing skirt fanned out from her waist as she gave a twirl to Mipha’s approval. The bodice part of her outfit was mercifully loose in comparison to some of her other dresses and she would thank the maids for allowing her to stretch in it.

All in all it was a very beautiful but simple outfit, completed by her gold adornments and circlet a top her hair. But it wasn’t very _her._ The person who enjoyed getting her hands dirty with pond scum or grease. It was fun to dress up once in a while, but only when it was for her and not for the sake of other’s perceptions of her.

Mipha, similarly, was not one for overly fancy visual displays and had thus managed to avoid wearing a frock, but Zelda had commissioned a shawl for her to wear made from white silk and decorated with glittering beads and fine chains at it’s edges. She would still be motile in it and it did not cover or detract from her natural appearance. Complete with her usual Princess finery she was as beautiful as ever, but even she had been enjoying the freedom that came with not having to wear such items everyday.

Fully dressed, they were ready to be escorted up to the Sanctum. A knock on the door alerted them to the arrival of their chaperone and opening the door revealed Link.

He gave them both a casual assessing once over as per usual and then had to come back for a double take as he truly took in their appearance. Logically, he knew Zelda wasn’t going to be wearing her usual affair but he hadn’t expected this and he’d never seen Mipha look so … dainty before.

That wasn’t to say that Link hadn’t been made to make some sort of effort in regards to his appearance. Admittedly, trying to get a Dragon to look fancy was not, strictly speaking, a challenge but it was a good thing that Zelda and Mipha had already collaborated on a piece of clothing for him together. It was styled after the high folded collar and shoulder drape that was a part of the Royal Guards uniform, but in the Champion’s colours. It fit snugly around his long neck, adjustable with his continued growth, and Zelda had even managed to re-stitch a more elaborate Sword design on a pointed tabard piece that hung down over his chest. Coupled with the fact that he had managed to get himself squeaky clean - his old trainee group had only been too happy to towel him down ferociously - his golden scales shone even more brightly. All in all, he looked very polished.

Realising that he was still staring, Link tried to hide his reaction, unsuccessfully, by offering them both a wing each.

“My, you do clean up nicely,” Mipha said, running her hands over his now much thicker scales that ran over his shoulders and back.

“Literally,” Zelda quirked, accepting his proffered wing and allowing him to escort them to the Ball.

Once they reached the Sanctum they saw the last of the guests being led into the hall by members of the Royal Guard and the rest of the Champions clustered outside.

They had been left to spend their time as they saw fit about the Castle or enjoying the events going on in Castle Town. It wasn’t often that they actually had much free time to themselves when they were summoned to Central Hyrule, but they had all been itching for this moment.

“Din! I’d heard the rumours but I didn’t realise you’d gotten that big,” Urbosa exclaimed, eyeing the Dragon that loomed behind Zelda. “Now with your own little outfit as well, very nice. I assume this was your doing, Princesses?”

Mipha and Zelda just beamed.

“Guess I can’t call you Lil’ Guy anymore, huh?” Daruk laughed, and it was shocking how the Goron didn’t seem quite as big to Link anymore. They were almost at eye level with each other. “Heard there was some trouble this mornin’ though…”

“Caused quite the ruckus apparently,” Revali commented, as he too came over to inspect Link more closely. He circled him once, rubbing his pinion feathers on the underside of his beak as he walked. He made a tutting noise, “looks like your wings have finally grown in.”

‘ _They’re bigger than yours,_ ’ Link noted, only belatedly realising that such a comment could be misconstrued as bragging. Revali stumbled a little in shock.

“Excuse-“

“Zelda!” Urbosa cut in, taking in the sight of Zelda in her form fitting bodice underneath her coat. “You look beautiful but I hope you can breath in that.”

“Thank you and I actually can for once which is nice,” Zelda grinned, not missing the way Link looked at her sharply.

_‘What do you mean for once? You’re having problems breathing?’_

While his reaction sparked a fond eye roll from Mipha and several placating gestures from Zelda, Revali had gotten over his prior shock of Link _speaking to him_ in order to educate the fool instead.

“Oh, even you can’t be that dense,” Revali said snidely. “Women of the high court are expected to adhere to a specific figure, which means altering their shape and ribcage. Naturally, this leads to shortness of breath. Honestly, it’s a barbaric procedure really I’m not sure why you put up with it.”

“I’m sorry not all of us Hylians can have your Rito tapered waists,” Zelda sighed, gesturing to his corseted armour which Revali conceded to with a slight inclination of his head. “I cause enough talk about the Castle as it is, I choose to save my energy for other battles.”

“How do you know so much about Ladies High Fashion anyway, Revali?” Mipha asked.

“Purely for critical reasons I assure you. We Rito prefer to accessorize rather than alter and tailoring is a specialty of ours,” he sniffed, before offering her his wing. “Now, please take my arm for this occasion calls for a classy entrance and the Princess has to go with our scaly Hero and I’m not taking that one’s hand.”

Revali gestured over his shoulder at Urbosa without looking at her and she snorted.

“You could walk in with Daruk, then I can have Mipha,” Urbosa argued and just to spite her Revali stalked over to stand by Daruk instead. Urbosa winced, “never mind, your colours clash horrendously.”

“Exactly!” Revali squawked.

‘ _Oh, for the love of-‘_ Link took a steadying breath, ‘ _I don’t care.’_

Revali wheeled around to face him, “you have opinions?!”

Finding himself already stressed about this event following the incident that morning, Link was close to bolting. Luckily, both Mipha and Zelda could tell and quickly partnered up the Champions.

“You come with me,” Mipha said, grabbing a hold of Revali’s wing.

“And you go with Daruk,” Zelda instructed, leading Urbosa over to stand with their Goron Champion who had been happy to let the chaos occur around him. Meetings like these were always entertaining for him because he didn’t get involved. He didn’t need to. Although, usually he’d be standing on the sidelines with Link.

“You ok in there, Brother?” He asked, quietly as he could as he leaned over to his Dragon friend. “You look like ya’ could crush coal into diamonds with ya’ mouth.”

Link moved his lower jaw around to loosen the tension.

 _‘I’m fine. Thank you though. Just not looking forward to being stared at,’_ Link admitted and Daruk nodded his head understandingly. He’d known that about the Little Guy already.

“People were starin’ at ya’ when you was a lil Dragon though, weren’t they?”

_‘Yes, but this time they know it’s me. The expectations are back.’_

Daruk had nothing to say to that except to give his friend a consolatory pat on the back. It didn’t cause Link’s legs to buckle anymore.

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

The Ball was, predictably, quite boring for most of them. Their arrival had caused a sea of people to start clapping and the festivities could ‘officially’ begin. While the Champions dispersed into the crowd to mingle and socialise, Link delivered the Princess up the stairs to where the King and his close associates were congregated on the mezzanine above. With her safely now in the line of sight of several Royal Guards, Link retreated back down the stairs to stick himself out of the way against the wall.

This tactic worked for all of five minutes before people’s curiosity outweighed their hesitance and they came forward to talk to him. He had to wonder whether they knew he could respond or just assumed he could. Or perhaps they just wanted to be seen talking to him and taking an interest. Link already felt tired.

“How did you manage the change? It must have been awful for you.”

“Didn’t you want to leave the Castle? Have some time to adjust?”

“How high can you fly?”

Did they honestly expect him to answer with the truth or were they just testing him on the sort of answer he chose to give? Either way, he tried to keep his answers as factual as expected without revealing anything about himself in the process.

‘Yes, the change was a shock.’

‘No, I have a job to do.’

‘Can’t say that I’ve tried yet.’

Et cetera.

Mipha came to save him a couple of times as she gravitated over to where he was trying to ‘hide’ and inevitably drifted away again, taking his audience with her. But otherwise, he’d been left to fend for himself.

As soon as there was empty space around him someone inevitably filled it. The guards nearest him threw him sympathetic looks from time to time. They knew he had never liked the spotlight of being the Hero and now that he had undergone a Divine transformation he was even more interesting.

Just as he was wondering how he could politely excuse himself so that he could dive into the moat, the Goddesses sent him a blessing. Literally.

“Excuse me, but I need to take Sir Link from you.”

The crowd around him parted and there stood Zelda, showing off a dazzling smile that she did not feel. But it’s intended effect worked as people made way for her to get to him, “I wish to go to the upper levels to cool down for a bit but I can’t go anywhere without him so…”

She let her sentence trail off but everyone nodded understandingly, bowed and curtsied to her, and then diffused back into the party like smoke.

“Mipha said you were being hounded. Come on, before I try to join you in the moat,” Zelda muttered, and she led Link away from the noise and crowds. Past the King and his entourage and up to the observatory level above, populated only by four Royal Guards.

They startled a little at the Princess’ appearance and then exchanged glances when Link followed her up.

“At ease, gentleknights,” Zelda said, reaching down to untie her shoes and freeing them from her feet. The cold stone floor felt wonderful. “Just pretend we’re not here.”

Link gave her a look, ‘ _you know they can’t do that.’_

“Ok,” Zelda said, adjusting her earlier statements, “then do not allow my presence to impact on your duties?”

She was trying but Link just sighed and addressed the Guards instead, ‘ _don’t worry she’s my responsibility, not yours. Out of interest, how did they allocate the upper level guard this year?’_

“Allocate?” Zelda whispered but Link just raised an eyebrow at her which meant ‘wait’.

After the Guards determined that Link wasn’t trying to trip them up and getting them into trouble by answering his question in front of the Princess one of them replied, “we drew lots.”

“Lots? Is this not a great place to be put?” Zelda asked, a little curious as to the workings of the Castle’s Security if she were honest.

_‘The opposite. The Guards vie for this position every year the Hylia’s Rebirth function is held because it’s out of the way and quiet. Also, not many visitors.’_

“Oh,” Zelda dragged out, understandingly, “sorry to disturb your peace, but I’m also here for similar reasons so I can sympathise.”

The Guards bowed to her either out of ingrained respect or gratitude for her understanding and then snapped their heels together at attention.

“We’ll leave you in Sir Link’s capable hands, your Highness.”

Falling into single file, they descended the stairs and out of sight, thus giving Zelda and Link the space and privacy they wished for.

“That’s nice of them, they must trust you a lot,” Zelda noted.

‘ _I like to think so, but also consider how badly an assassins day would go if one came in through a window and saw me standing here,’_ Link proposed, before embarrassment seized him and he hastily added, ‘ _because I’m a Dragon, not because-‘_

“I get it,” Zelda said, placing a hand on his shoulder comfortingly, “but you were also very intimidating as a Hylian too. Don’t sell yourself short, you’re allowed to be proud of your accomplishments.”

It was a good thing Link couldn’t blush in this form, the flush of blood hidden beneath his scales; impenetrable like armour. But he couldn’t hide the feeling from surfacing mentally and Zelda was unrelenting in her shower of giggles.

 _‘Then you should be of yours,’_ Link said, tamping down on the pity he felt when Zelda just looked back at him confused.

“What accomplishments? What have I achieved that’s to be proud of?”

Link inhaled sharply, disbelief fuelling his oncoming tirade.

 _‘You got the Sheikah Slate working. You gathered together each of the races greatest mages to become your Champions. You taught each of them how to utilise their Beasts. You are an essential member of the Sheikah’s research team. Despite everything you managed to bridge the gap between us. And,’_ Link continued, unconsciously getting closer and closer to Zelda’s face as he piled on the facts, ‘ _you’ve continued to persevere for over a decade. You must have very high expectations of yourself if those are not considered achievements.’_

The Princess looked as if she were struggling to come up with ways to dispute Link’s claims, but the only one she could grab onto was, “so what if I’ve persevered? It’s produced nothing…”

‘ _Lesser people would have broken long before now.’_

Zelda sniffled and Link rested his head on top of hers, curling a wing around her shoulders to bring her closer.

“Lesser people would have gone mad being turned into another creature.”

‘ _Other people don’t have past lives influencing their current one.’_

Until the words were out there, Link hadn’t realised how true that statement was. The discovery of a past Hero being transformed into a Beast, similarly to how he had been, was a revelation he had not truly taken to heart until now. It meant more than just explaining why he had adjusted so quickly and that was why the only issue he was currently facing were his wings. As far as he knew, he had never had the gift of flight before yet the idea did not frighten him.

Zelda wriggled her head out from under the canopy of Link’s wings to look at him, intrigued.

“You have a connection to your past lives? I was under the impression that was lost on you.”

‘ _Not a connection, more like déjà vu,’_ Link explained, unable to express how it felt to realise he had experienced things before. Then he remembered he could do exactly that and he shared the sensation with her.

“Oh, so it’s like remembering an old dream. It isn’t _you_ but that perspective is familiar.” Zelda pondered the situation some more before adding, “you know some of my Ancestors were able to see through time, sometimes into alternate possibilities. Combined with their own experiences, that’s how I know so much about past Princesses and Heroes, from that collection I showed you?”

Link nodded. That had been an eye opening and enjoyable experience, though some pieces of information were absent which would have been useful. The Princesses of old never seemed to mention what happened to the Hero after the big battle. It did not inspire much confidence.

“What you feel instinctively is sort of what I can experience reading through my Ancestors accounts. Did you know that mother grew up on those stories, hoping that she herself would get to meet her Hero counterpart?” Zelda, recalled, a small smile gracing her features before dropping her gaze to the floor. “But then she would remember that the appearance of the Hero also meant that a darkness would rise to threaten Hyrule.”

Her green eyes refocused on his face, looking up at him sadly. His entire existence was a herald of great danger for the Kingdom, something that made his birth necessary like a defence mechanism. It was tragic really.

Would he never get to live just for the sake of it?

“Still, the idea excited her, from what I remember.”

‘ _And then there’s you,’_ Link said, intending to move away from the oncoming existential crisis with humour, ‘ _who couldn’t stand the sight of me.’_

She shoved him.

“It wasn’t _you_ per se, I just … Didn’t like being compared to you. I’m glad we’re friends. I really am.”

The wing around her shoulders enveloped her more and she snuggled herself into the embrace.

‘ _So am I.’_

“When I read back through their accounts some of them didn’t even realise the full scope of their situation. The different ways in which the Kingdom was threatened over and over but the same players involved. A never ending game of chess, as soon as one side wins the board just gets wiped clean and set out anew. It’s odd to think that we have such an old legend as common knowledge when many of our predecessors had to re-learn it time and time again.”

‘ _Did they also have gigantic constructs to help them in battle?’_

Zelda snorted.

“No, their help came from much older, magical sources from what I’ve gathered. You know, it’s a pity the Princess of ten thousand years ago couldn’t seem to appreciate pen and paper. Think how much less anxious we would be if we had recordings from her hand. How they knew what was coming and how they prepared. How the Beasts _worked._ ”

‘ _Maybe she had other ways of writing things down.”_

Zelda clapped her hands together at his words and Link took this as a sign to move back and allow her space to move about. She had a look in her eye that he knew well by now. A look that signalled Zelda’s departure on a very fast thought train, that didn’t have any stops except for a currently unseen destination.

“That’s just the thing though, if she did write them down on the Slate – let’s say, as a logical assumption – then is that data lost? Was it wiped clean? Or is it just inaccessible at the moment?” She began to pace, gesticulating widely to emphasise her words as she continued to air her thoughts. “According to Purah, there is a lot of functionality in the Slate we just can’t access right now, but is that because the Slate is broken or is there some central node or reset we need to conduct on it before we can get it’s system functional again? And if we reset will that remove all the data that was on there or has it been saved?” Zelda took a deep breath only to release it as a sigh, “so many possibilities, so many that could interfere with each other.  Robbie often wonders whether it would be easier to start from scratch than limit ourselves trying to fix technology that may already exist but that we don’t fully understand. We could at least take what we have learned and build our own version but we just never know if the next big breakthrough is right around the corner. That breakthrough could possibly lead us to the missing towers or being able to command the Guardians. Do we even need to? Who knows!”

Energy spent for the moment, Zelda turned away to lean against an open window, staring out at the many lights that illuminated Castle Town. From here she couldn’t see anything specific but she knew the town would be covered in colourful streamers and bunting, confetti would be falling in the streets and perhaps there was even glitter in the fountain like there had been once when she was a child.

She felt Link come close behind her and heard him settle on the floor, but even with her remaining standing his head could still come level with her shoulders. He stared at the same lights she saw.

“Do you wish you could spend this festival with your family?” Zelda asked, almost whispering as if her question were forbidden.

‘ _I’ve spent every New Year with them until this year, but it can get a bit much. Especially once your older and your friends start encouraging you to stay out late and party… not to mention the other things. I quite like just looking from up here.’_

“Even with our nosy guests downstairs?”

‘ _Here specifically isn’t so bad.’_

Zelda barked a laugh and leaned into his side.

They stayed up on the second level for some time, enjoying the muted background noise of the party below but soon Zelda’s stomach began to rumble.

“Hmm, should have brought some food up with me,” she realised, grimacing a little at the thought of having to venture downstairs.

For a split second, Link envisioned simply just whisking Zelda away and flying out of the Sanctum so that they could join the party in the town. It was quickly shaken away, however, due to the very real concern that he might be accused of kidnapping. But also, their lack of attendance at the Ball would anger the King and therefore lead to Zelda getting another earful.

Link was beginning to notice that the King dealt with frustration and stress in a similar way to his daughter. They both let off steam with outbursts directed at other people. The main difference was that Zelda yelled to be left alone and put herself down, while the King chose to belittle his target and shift his pressures onto them. That target usually being the Princess.

A crackle of energy passed between Link’s claws as he thought about the speech they were going to hear, asking for everyone’s strength and belief in their plan to eradicate the Calamity. Yet, he had none of that to give to his own daughter, the pivotal part of their defence.

As if fate could hear his angrily grinding gears, there was a sudden hush as the King himself made motions to begin his speech.

Zelda sighed as she looked over the edge of the observatory window in the centre of the floor to see the hall below.

“Come on, Link. It’s best if we make our appearance now.”

Neither of them mentioned how unenthusiastic they were about that. But, at least, they could get food.

The speech was flowery enough to prevent it from seeming boorish whilst still touching on the key advancements of the year. Namely the conquering of the Divine Beasts.

The King called forward their Champions and the four pilots stepped out of the crowd before the King and bowed to polite and resounding applause from the audience. The King wished them well on their continued service and bestowed his thanks upon each of them.

Link and Zelda kept to the bottom of the stairs after coming down from the observation level. They had no intention of stepping forward until directed to as they were keen to stay out of focus for as long as possible. Anything in the King’s speech involving them would probably do them no favours. Yet, it did not stop the King from addressing the pair within the next part of his speech and they were forced to come forward to the edge of the mezzanine.

“To our Princess and our Hero, who through continued devotion have been given a sign by the Goddess Farore, we give our continued support and faith. Our Hylian Champion has been transformed and now stands before you better equipped to protect my daughter and us all. When it first occurred we could not see the transformation for what it truly was and to prevent a scare we were forced to hide it. But now, we can see that our Hero has received a blessing from his patron and that we are now more prepared than ever!”

The applause was much louder this time as everyone clapped with renewed hope and joy. Everyone seemed completely willing to accept the King version of events at face value and not think too deeply on it. To them, the only thing that was important, was the knowledge that they would be safe.

‘ _How does this Kingdom function?’_ Link asked, in utter disbelief as the King’s speech ended and the party resumed, content that the monarchy had everything under control.

‘ _Surprisingly, it makes do,’_ Zelda replied, cynically, as she watched her father sit back down in his throne. ‘ _But that seems to be the story of Hyrule in a nutshell really.’_

They watched the members of the influential and wealthy upper circles mingle about the floor before Link turned his head to her and prompted, ‘ _food?’_

They descended down into the masses and noticed that the crowd parted for them with slightly greater ease than they had before, almost reverent as they backed out of their way. The speech had made them sound Goddess touched and people were thinking twice about bothering them with their questions. Small mercies but greater expectations put upon them.

Once the Princess acquired a platter of food, one side entirely populated with raw fish and canapés, she turned around to locate her Champions.

‘ _Come on’,_ she thought across their connection, ‘ _lets find the others. I’d like to spend the remainder of this celebration with people we actually enjoy talking to.’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boi, NaNo steam ran out fast, oops. Got to 20/50k and then sat down and wrote 13k words after it had finished. Sure. Also I picked up BotW again after half a year and I’m looking at these memory locations I’m going to write about and thinking, ‘how did you end up over here?’.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed some side chars, namely those in the 3-person team Link would have been trainees with. Ashei was the only name my brain provided me with for the one who kicked Link in the crotch (mentioned back in Chp.9) and I just like the name Rory. I am convinced Link was getting crushes everywhere, the little Bi Disaster that he is, but coming forward with the Master Sword kind of blows everything else out of the water really.
> 
> My idea of Hyrulean Military progression goes like this: Trainee > Soldier/Knight > Castle Guard > Royal Guard. Each stage has an exam before you can progress to the next level and only Knights can progress into The Guards. Usually, you don’t take the exam to pass from being a trainee until you were 17 and only those with exemplary results ranked as Knights. Link had just passed his exam to become a Knight when he came forward with the Master Sword. 
> 
> Also, Impa putting Rhoam in his place? The Sheikah are loyal to the bloodline of Hylia, ergo the Royal Family, but Rhoam married into the Royal family. He gets respect as the King but to Impa, he’s just a man. She aint got no time for his bullshit remarks to Zelda, the next of Hylia’s bloodline.
> 
> Word Count 6,594


	18. Champion's Company

Once she had managed to extract each of her Champions out of the masses they all bid the hall their goodbyes and wished everyone a good time and thanked them for their attendance. The rest of the nights festivities were planned to be spent in much a more companionable atmosphere within the Princess’ quarters.

Urbosa had strolled in with ease, looking about the empty walls with an air of exasperation before spotting the chaos in her research corner. She rolled her eyes good naturedly before sitting down on the sofa and stretching her legs, accidentally nudging Link’s pillow wrapped in his Champion’s tunic on the floor. She smiled as she admired Zelda’s handiwork.

Daruk had to have both doors held open for him to get inside and he immediately sat by the lit fire, thankful for it’s warmth against his back after experiencing the cold weather outside. Goron’s were not especially temperature sensitive but after living the majority of ones life next to a churning volcano, the frosty, damp weather of Central Hyrule at this time of year tended to be unpleasant.

“Good point,” Urbosa muttered, as she dragged the sofa and chairs nearer the fireplace to also enjoy the warmth, bringing the cushion with her.

Revali had looked uncharacteristically uncertain as he was led to Princess Zelda’s chambers. He fluttered his wings in objection as Zelda tried to invite him in.

“This is your room! Why would we-“ but he snapped his beak closed as Link walked in, without any hesitation whatsoever and flumped down onto his rug. He began rubbing his face against the pile, enjoying it’s texture against his face after such a stressful evening. “He’s allowed in there?!”

“Revali,” Mipha said, looking at him with some slight concern, “where do you think Link has been sleeping?”

“In _his_ room, mayhaps?!” The Rito squawked, allowing himself to be guided in by Mipha regardless as Zelda shut the door behind him.

“Oh, stop being so dramatic,” Urbosa bemoaned, before turning a quirked brow in Zelda’s direction, “though I must say, that’s awfully forward of you, Zelda. Inviting a boy into your room.”

Zelda, who had been unsuccessfully attempting to move the rug out from under Link’s bulk so she could move it closer to the fire, gave Urbosa a withering look. She eventually managed to get Link to shift when she held the metal platter full of food tantalisingly in front of him and he spotted the salmon.

“Why don’t you just order him to move?” Daruk asked, as the Princess dropped into the last available seat now that the rug had been moved closer to them all. “He’s still your Knight.”

“Because he knows when I’m not being serious with my commands,” Zelda sighed, allowing her _Knight_ to snap up a few canapés off the tray with his tongue. She had the distinct impression he was playing up his antics just for fun, ignoring them all.

“How?”

“Oh! Oh wow, so much has happened. Let me start from the beginning.”

It took about an hour to fully cover everything since the incident in the Gerudo Desert, which was agreed to be the catalyst for all of the new changes surrounding Link. Ever since that trip to visit Urbosa, he had begun to change. His wings had grown in to match proportionally with the rest of him, allowing him to glide, and he had steadily been getting bigger alongside the development of his communicative powers. However, the root cause for his continued growth was yet unknown to them.

They assumed his electrical abilities had also grown in strength, but so far Link had done little more than prove that he could produce electricity if he so desired. He would leave it to simmer just under the surface of his scales for a short while, creating sparks from his horn like tiny fireworks and arcs between his feathers, before withdrawing it just to show that he could. He had control over it but none of them knew what his limits were.

“Well, you three have certainly had a busy winter,” Urbosa concluded, looking a little overwhelmed. It was a lot to take in and digest all at once. “Though I am glad you have been taking my advice to heart, Link. It seems to have done you the world of good.”

He closed his eyes and settled against the floor, the fire warm against his scales while the praise warmed his insides.

“Ya’ both seem to be doing well,” Daruk prompted, looking between Princess and Knight, “that’s an improvement.”

Link was inclined to agree. His relationship with Princess Zelda was leaps and bounds better than when they had started and he thoroughly came to enjoy being in her company. However, he had started to notice some issues with his transformation. Namely, his size.

He didn’t really want to interrupt the relative ease of the moment by mentioning it but he had been encountering problems with manoeuvring and fitting into places that were at odds with his more flexible and agile Hylian build. He hadn’t discussed any of this with Zelda although he had the feeling that Mipha had sensed it on him as she was always careful to lay a guiding hand on his tail if it came close to colliding with something, or someone. Bringing up his problem now would be a bit out of the blue. It was just something he was going to have to get used to so he remained settled on the floor in contented silence and listened to the others talk.

“Sadly, that’s the only ‘improvement’ I have to report,” Zelda sighed, looking at her open hands, splayed palm up in her lap. “Now that the snow has melted I can start my travels again and I aim to visit the Spring of Power this year, before…”

She trailed off with a frown. She hadn’t meant to start talking about this. Their conversations always seemed to come round to the Calamity at some point.

“Ah yes,” Urbosa said, covering for her hesitance, “you’ll be seventeen this year. You’ll be able to visit Nayru’s Spring.”

“Why is her age significant?” Revali asked, for once asking purely out of curiosity rather than as an attempt to scorn.

“A Hylian is seen to be a child until the age of seventeen and therefore lacks the Wisdom, or the ability to handle said Wisdom, to make the trip up to the Spring atop Mount Lanayru,” Zelda explained, as if reciting from a book.

“Seventeen is … a very arbitrary number,” Revali commented, squinting at the rug a little, “does it coincide with anything specific to a Hylian?”

“Oh!” Mipha sat up straighter, “I remember this one. Seventeen was the age that the Hero of Time had to be to draw the Master Sword. Anything less than that was considered too young I suppose.”

“So, seventeen is just _magically_ the number a Hylian is deemed an adult, is it?” Revali huffed, but Zelda was inclined to agree with his assessment. “Hyrule had no issue with a _teenager_ holding a Divine Blade to strike down a full-grown darkness wielding Sorcerer? Sure, ok.”

“Y’know, when he puts it like that,” Daruk muttered, his beady eyes shining with concern now.

“You realise just how ridiculous this whole prophecy thing is,” Urbosa finished, tipping back the drink in her hand only to refill it from a bottle she must have snagged from the party.

“Maybe we shouldn’t discuss this now, aren’t we supposed to be having a fun chat?” Mipha said, “you know, like friends do?”

Revali opened his beak, no doubt to deny that there was any camaraderie between them, but Urbosa rolled her eyes and flapped a hand at him.

“Don’t bother, Archer. If you didn’t like talking to us, even just for the challenge of it, you would have excused yourself long before now.”

The clack of his beak snapping shut was answer enough.

“There we go. Now if only we could get you to be civil with our Knight. That would be quite the achieveme- Zelda, are you alright?”

Zelda looked up from the floor to see Urbosa obviously concerned and leaning forward in her chair, her glass abandoned on the floor. It was then that she realised that her face had twisted itself into a state of anxiousness. But it wasn’t _her_ anxiety. She reached down to where Link rested, curled slightly around her chair, and placed a hand in his head feathers. He jolted a little under her touch, having been miles away, and drew his eyes away from the fire. The light from the hearth reflected off of his glassy blue eyes but a gentle tug on their emotional tether showed Zelda that he wasn’t feeling particularly depressed or melancholy.

Just distressed after what ever rabbit hole he’d fallen down.

“Hey,” she whispered, slipping off of her chair completely to kneel next to him, placing her hands on either side of his face. “Link, what’s wrong?”

‘ _He wasn’t really seventeen though … was he?’_ Link murmured through her head and she bit her lip at that. No, they both knew that the Hero of Time had actually been much younger than that. Younger than even this Link had been when he found the Sword.

She vaguely wondered if it had been a mistake showing him accounts of past Heroes. He seemed to have enjoyed the history at the time, and even offered tidbits of his own for her to write down, but perhaps the past exploits of the Heroes before him had festered into … something else.

‘ _He was a child and he still managed to save an entire Kingdom. Meanwhile, I’ve had to be turned into this. What does that say about me?’_

Ah.

“Is he talking to you?” Mipha asked quietly as she too slid off of her chair to settle beside her old friend, and Zelda realised Link had been conversing with her alone. Unwilling to utter the secrets she had shared with him in confidence.

“Yes, he…” She paused before thinking to herself that this would be easier if they were just open about the conversation and turned back to Link. ‘ _It’s ok. I trust all of my Champions, Link.’_

A deep inhale expanded Link’s impressive ribcage before the exhale ruffled Zelda’s skirts draped across the floor around her legs. It was his choice now if he wanted to share. He shuffled a bit on his favourite rug, tail softly tapping against the floor as he formulated his sentences carefully. He hadn’t been planning on having such a personal conversation with the others present. The others, to whom he had been trying to convince of his ability to handle his role and position without issue. Even if one of them was determined to try and trip him up at any given opportunity.

The Kingdom at large could believe what they wanted if it made them feel better, but these people were supposed to help him against the Calamity. How could he expect to rely on them if he didn’t trust them, Zelda certainly did. She didn’t discuss her lack of powers with just anyone, it was a sore subject for her, and she was willing to divulge information recorded by her ancestors. As Mipha put it, they should be able to talk together like friends.

Hadn’t he also wanted that? Right from the start.

He could feel Mipha’s presence at his side, running her webbed hands over his scales and skirting around the deformed ones that marked his scars. She didn’t say anything, just let him know that she was there and ready to support him should he need it. Just as she had many times before when it was just the two of them.

Fighting the constricting pressure around his chest and the tightness in his throat, Link was glad he didn’t need to open his mouth or use his hands to speak anymore.

‘ _Zelda has been teaching me about past Heroes. I learned a lot but … it’s put the bar just that much higher.’_ Claws scrunched the fleece beneath them until one got snagged _. ‘It just feels like I had to be given an edge compared to them. That this form was necessary. I wasn’t good enough as I was before no matter how much I did to prepare.’_

Now that the words were out there, Link immediately felt panic and wanted to grab them back but he could not retrieve words from people’s minds, only send them. He felt Zelda carefully free his claw from the rug before he pulled it more and damaged the fabric.

“I don’t think that’s fair, Link. You used the form you had to the best of your abilities, nobody could have asked more of you that you did already ask of yourself,” Mipha comforted, quick to remind him of his mortal limits.

“If you weren’t that good then Revali wouldn’t work himself into a froth at the mere mention of you,” Urbosa muttered.

“I do not!”

Urbosa gave their Rito Champion a baleful look and he folded his wings across his chest, worming his way further back into his seat petulantly. But no further denial came.

“It’s as the King said,” Daruk chimed in, rolling himself forward a little, “your Goddesses gave you a blessing.”

Link shared a look with Zelda and she shrugged helplessly.

“It’s true, he’s now far more durable and can even produce lightning which he couldn’t before. All great benefits to him during … _a fight,_ ” she said, delicately, “but … _we_ think this transformation is more to do with it’s effects on Link as a person. It’s his Trial of the Hero.”

Zelda explained the basic concept of Heroes having to prove their worth before they could even be directed to the Master Sword by the Goddesses. Yet in this time, Link had managed to find it by himself, already inherently being worthy to the blade’s standards, but not to the Goddess’. Not to Farore’s.

“Then maybe it’s not your skills that ya’ Goddesses were worried about,” Daruk said, speaking into the ensuing heavy silence as easily as he would heft a boulder. Everyone turned to stare at him, “uh.”

“No, go on, please,” Mipha encouraged, reclining more comfortably against Link’s side. He wrapped his tail around her waist to secure her there.

“Well, maybe it’s what you’re gonna hav’ta go through, y’know?”

“Heavens, don’t say _that_ ,” Revali said, sharply, “the Calamity already looks ugly enough on the tapestry as it is.”

“I didn’t mean the smoke demony thing,” Daruk dismissed, waving one of his  massive hands as if the Calamity, the embodiment of evil, were inconsequential. “I meant stuff Link has to get through before that. Dragons are pretty tough right? Hard to kill?”

“Some would say impossible,” Urbosa added, sharing a significant look with Zelda, “convenient given his position as a _living shield_.”

_‘The_ _Hero ten thousand years ago didn’t need it,’_ Link countered, heaving another huge sigh.

“The Hero ten thousand years ago wasn’t defending a Princess. A Princess without her powers,” Zelda muttered, brow crinkling as she delved into deeper thought. “If Link dies, the Sword has no bearer, no conduit. He’s just as valuable as I am.”

“ _Debatable,_ ” both Revali and Link said at the same time and they quickly glanced at each other at the echo, unnerved by the shared thought.

“No, it is not, it is fact,” Zelda insisted, ignoring their uncharacteristic harmonisation to point between the pair of them. “The Sword can only be wielded by the Chosen Hero. A single person. Without Link, it won’t matter if I get my powers or not. Having him pledge an oath to lay his life down for mine should events turn sour is a bit … counter productive. Also, I don’t want to see him _die_.”

‘ _I’ll try to die out of your line of sight then,’_ Link said, but he allowed himself to feel touched by Zelda’s emphatic declaration. She flicked his head feathers lightly in retaliation.

“So, it’s already a pre-determined thing?” The Rito asked, voice quiet, as he continued to glance over at Link with a confused tilt to his eyebrows. He was clearly re-organising some preconceived notions. Zelda knew how that felt. “The Sword already had a bearer the moment Link was born, didn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“How old were you?” Urbosa asked, quietly, as if the thought had only just occurred to her. Judging by Daruk’s and Revali’s tilting heads, they too had only just considered the question.

‘ _I was twelve,’_ Link answered, pretending not to notice the grimace on Urbosa’s painted lips and the grumble deep in Daruk’s chest. ‘ _At first I didn’t know what was so special about it. Forest spirits showed me the way and it was just there. It was so pretty I wanted to touch it and take it home with me. So I did.’_

Mipha huffed a laugh, “of course you did, you magpie.”

“You just took a random Sword, kept in the Lost Woods that _forest spirits_ had to guide you to? Of course, makes complete sense,” Urbosa groaned as she pinched the bridge of her nose between her fingers before suddenly snapping her attention back to Link. “Hang on, you didn’t have the Sword until you were fifteen. I know because I got a very panicked letter from Zelda about it.”

Surprised, Link turned his head across the floor to look up at his Princess, raising his eyebrows.

“Sorry,” she mumbled, “up until that point we had no timeframe as to _when_ the Calamity would appear. Then you came along with the Sword and we knew it would have to be within your lifetime. Within mine. I was frightened.”

‘ _That’s why you were angry,’_ Link realised and just like that several puzzle pieces that had still been floating about in the back of his head fell into place with a satisfying finality. ‘ _If I hadn’t have come forward, you would have had more time. There was less pressure before.’_

“Yes, well, now I recognise it wouldn’t have changed my circumstances at all since it didn’t matter if we knew or not. Fate would have continued on regardless but we would have been even less prepared. I was just … scared.”

Link rubbed the end of his snout against her knees, ‘ _I understand.’_  

“So why didn’t anyone know earlier?” Daruk asked, “it’s a bit hard ta’ miss, that Sword o’ yours.”

Here, Link hesitated. The events of five years ago had already happened, there wasn’t much anyone could do about it now. He’d considered telling Zelda so she could write it down for her descendants but ultimately decided against it. The detail just wouldn’t be important for future versions of himself. Now that he had people asking him about it directly, however, he knew he had to trust his fellow Champions - that his family wouldn’t get in trouble for what he was about to tell them.

‘ _When I found the Sword, my Father helped me hide it,’_ Link admitted and he felt Mipha’s soft ‘oh’ of realisation as she breathed out in a rush. ‘ _He was visiting the Training Camp just south of the Lost Woods. It’s where I was stationed with my team at the time and he was helping instruct us. I’d wandered off-‘_

“As you often did,” Mipha interjected.

‘ _Yes – but when I came back I had the Sword. When I showed it to Dad I could see at first he was curious. Maybe he thought I’d pinched it off another soldier, but then he looked scared. I’d never seen him look so scared before,’_ Link frowned, remembering the moment vividly as his father’s fear had made him afraid too. ‘ _He explained what it was – what it meant – and helped me hide it. He said I wasn’t ready to deal with what would follow if people found it. I trusted him.’_

A large exhale followed his explanation, already feeling fatigue creep up on him, as the others processed this. Urbosa was the first to break the silence, looking stern.

“You realise he was right, don’t you? It was good that you trusted him.”

Link nodded, but both Mipha and Zelda could feel his relief even if it was soured with a hint of guilt - Zelda gave his feathers a subtle tug while Mipha poked him in the ribs. _None of that._

“A pity his esteemed Majesty couldn’t extend the same courtesy,” Urbosa continued, acidly, reaching for her glass once more to wash away a bad taste.

‘ _Since then I’ve been training to handle a Sword. Once I came forward with it I was being trained to use the Master Sword exclusively. I had to ask specific tutors in the guard for remedial lessons in my spare time for the other forms of weaponry in case I forgot. The General was instructed to teach me only Sword fighting. Not even dual wielding or with other bladed weapons.’_

“Hold on,” Revali said, holding his wings up to physically stop the conversation in it’s tracks. “Are you telling me that you were specifically restricted to one fighting style, for sake of utilising the Master Sword, and yet you still took the extra time to keep up with the other forms anyway?”

Link angled his head all the way around to fix his attention on Revali and blinked at him.

‘ _Yes?’_

The Rito threw his wings up, “I give up. One minute I think I know what’s going on and the next that’s tossed into the wind. I think that one’s an arrogant, entitled prick,” he pointed a wing at Link for emphasis, “but turns out he willingly chose to do more work than he was _supposed to_ and still managed to be more than moderately proficient in all of it. On top of that, the sword _literally_ belongs to him and I’ve just been trying to drag him back down off a pedestal he didn’t even put himself on with the rest of us. Skies, you piss me off so much.“

There was a pause.

‘ _Drag me back down…  with the rest of you?’_

“I didn’t say that,” Revali snapped, but all of his fellow Champions were sharing a _look_ between themselves.

“Yes, you did,” Zelda said, gently, in case her Rito Champion decided he’d had enough and flounced away from them as he was inclined to do.

‘ _Revali… I’m not better than any of you…”_

“You’re damn right you’re not! Ugh,” Revali dragged his pinions over his face, battling with himself and mostly just making himself more annoyed.

“How much have you had to drink?” Urbosa queried, out of vague interest.

“Not enough.”

“Feathers…” Daruk rumbled, wholly unprepared but wanting to help all the same.

But Link had been given time to think.

‘ _You’re the best archer I know,_ ’ he interjected, now with a frown set in place as he continued to contemplate the Rito’s outburst out of sheer confusion. _‘I’m good with a sword because I have to be. Because I was told to be. I wanted to learn the other things because I was afraid a Sword alone wouldn’t be enough. You gained your skills for yourself. You’ve trained in archery your whole life because that is what Rito do and no-one else can do better. Why would you think I was?’_

“I don’t! I just-“ Revali took a stabilising breath before continuing, “I know I’m the best, I’ve trained for nothing else and will _accept_ nothing else. But you were being hailed as this perfect figure, perfect at _everything_ and I knew if I could challenge you, beat you, I could show everyone that you weren’t perfect. But you never once responded to my challenges, like they were beneath you.”

Link was stunned. _What_.

The others were keeping as quiet as they could, they had been itching for this to happen since the moment all the Champions had come together for the first time and it had been obvious that their Rito comrade _did not like_ Link. They dared not even breathe too loud in case it disturbed the pair and were praising the celestial bodies themselves that they got to _witness_ this glorious moment.

‘ _I didn’t respond because I thought the result was obvious!’_ Link exclaimed, raising his head off of the rug to stare at Revali closer to his eye level. ‘ _What would be the point in answering your challenge, we both knew you would win! I didn’t know you were after validation on that, I’m sorry.’_

“You’re sorry?!”

_‘Yes, if I’d known you just wanted a contest I’d have agreed. It could have been fun, but I thought you were just posturing and I left you be.’_

Zelda put her face in her hands and Mipha was hard pressed not to follow the action. These two were hopeless.

“I didn’t want a contest I wanted to crush you! I wanted to show everyone that you weren’t perfect! That the Sword was wrong, that it should have picked me!”

Silence.

‘ _Oh.’_

Revali’s pupils turned to slits as he processed what he’d just said and he noted that he’d gripped the arms of his chair with his wings and pushed himself forward into Link’s face. Now that the words were out of his mouth, now that they were now longer incubating inside his head and poisoning his thoughts he felt drained. He sagged back into his chair.

“But, it was never a question of whether you were perfect or not after all. It wasn’t even something you had any control over, no matter how hard you trained. The Sword just belongs to you,” Revali eyed Link’s wings, almost as if he admired them, “and now it’s a part of you. A literal extension of you. It could never have been me.”

Link flexed his wings open a few inches, careful not to knock them into Mipha or Zelda. He’d never thought of it like that before, but he was right. The Master Sword was a physical extension of his being now.

_‘You know, I still don’t know how to use them.’_

“..What?” Revali said, dropping back into the moment rather abruptly.

‘ _I can’t fly. I can glide but I can’t-’_ he huffed _,_ ‘ _I’m too big. I can’t lift myself off  of the ground.’_

More silence.

“Are you kidding me?”

‘ _I just can’t, I’m not meant to fly! I’m too bulky. I can’t fit anywhere anymore, I miss my cupboard, I keep knocking into things, I can’t stay unnoticed in the shadows and I’m too heavy.”_

If Zelda didn’t know any better she’d say that Link was sulking. But he’d told her many a time that knights didn’t sulk. Mipha, however, _did_ know better and patted him gently between his shoulders. Nobody mentioned the cupboard comment.

Revali coughed, “you’re telling me, that the only reason you can’t fly yet is because you can’t get your fat ass off the ground?”

Urbosa snorted into her glass, completely taken aback, and she had to look away to hide her choking.

Scowling, Link snorted air into the Rito’s face, who simply swept his feathers back into perfect order. ‘ _Excuse me for not having air for bones. Dragon bones are just denser, apparently. ‘_

“Not the only thing that’s dense.”

A rebuttal was on the tip of his tongue – or brain – but at that moment Link felt Zelda’s presence keenly against his mind. Telling him to be calm and … laughing? Mipha was also restraining herself and he was about to feel hurt when it clicked. Oh! Revali was _playing_ with him. His scowl deepened, but at himself this time for being baited so easily.

‘ _Har har. Are you going to help me or not?’_

“Oh, you want _my_ help?” Revali asked, placing a wing against his chest and using the other to fan his face. Clearly, he was being overly performative but Link could appreciate that he was probably keen to put as much distance between his earlier admission and now as he could. In an effort to establish peace between them, Link was happy to play along with that.

‘ _Yes, O’ wise and venerable sage of the skies, bestow upon thee your great wisdom of flight so that this mere … fledgling may come to experience such wondrous talents.’_

Urbosa was now biting her knuckles in an effort to keep a grin from being too obvious and Daruk had started to look around Zelda’s room in feigned interest, as opposed to looking too invested in Link and Revali’s banter.

“My, my, perhaps you could have been a word smith in another time, or perhaps a Poet?”

‘ _How dare you,’_ Link said, only partially offended but Zelda lost the battle against her amusement entirely and folded over his back, helpless to laughter. The others soon followed suit as the thick atmosphere within the room broke.

Revali gave a rare genuine smile. A smile lacking in any barbs waiting to be released, but his superior look didn’t vanish. It would probably spell doom for them all if that ever disappeared. “Well, I can’t help you if you ever decide that the pen is mightier than the sword, but I suppose I can lend you _some_ assistance in the art of flight. After all, those wings are _meant_ to fly. I’m not going to just sit back and let you waste their potential.”

_‘You’ll teach me?’_

“Son of a- Yes, cloth ears! Yes, I will teach you. I will be the one to teach The Great Hero of Hyrule how to fly because he’s too dumb to learn how to do it himself. Happy?”

“For a moment there I thought he’d manage a whole sentence without being insulting,” Urbosa said dryly as she sipped from her now re-filled glass.

“It’s progress,” Daruk said, sagely, and the Gerudo bumped a fist against his rocky shoulder.

‘ _Thank you, Revali.’_

“Yes, thank you, Revali. I’m sure your experience will be invaluable!” Zelda encouraged, leaning up from Link’s neck with a bright smile.

“Well now, see what happens when we talk about our problems?” Urbosa asked, a tad too cheerfully as she raised her glass in Link’s direction before cocking her head to one side, “feel better?”

Unsure if she was teasing him or not, Link scrunched up his face but he couldn’t deny that yes, yes he did feel better. Though it had not been his intention, he’d managed to form a sort of truce with the most waspish of their party and secured a flying teacher. A success all round really. He huffed out of his nose, sending a few sparks to skitter over the stone floor.

“Did you just fire those out of your _nose_?!” Revali choked.

“Please don’t sneeze on me,” Mipha muttered, and that set Zelda off into another fit of laughter that she had to muffle against Link’s head feathers. He cast a glance around to see if she had been snuck a glass or two by Urbosa.

“Right, now that everyone’s feeling better I say we drink,” the Gerudo currently under suspicion declared, procuring yet another bottle of alcohol from behind her chair. Just where was she hiding them?

“Really?” Zelda said, surfacing so she could fix her surrogate-mother figure with an incredulous stare, “some of us are not old enough, as we have recently discussed.”

_Not the alcohol then._

“I won’t tell if you won’t.”

“Hit me up,” Revali said, sounding very tired as he leaned over to accept a glass, “need to forget that I almost felt sorry for scale-face over here. Ow!”

The Rito winced as Link wapped his tail across his legs and he drew them up onto his chair, out of reach, glaring at the back of Link’s head, “asshole.”

_‘Takes one to know one,’_ Link fired back, with perhaps not as much strength as Revali put behind his taunts but he was still new at this. The Rito seemed to appreciate the rebuke if the chair cushion hitting him was any indication.

“Prick.”

The rest of their evening went by much more companionably than it had started out and Link felt looser than he had in years. It was nice. At one point, Urbosa offered him some of the alcohol going around and he took a sip only to immediately pull a face that had the Gerudo laughing.

“Not one for alcohol, huh?”

“Finally! Something he’s not good at! Holding his damn liquor,” Revali crowed, already on his second glass.

Despite his initial rejection, Link kept sampling the stuff as if he kept forgetting that it tasted awful and burnt his tongue. He coughed more sparks out of his mouth and settled into a warm haze, sharing his contentment with both Zelda and Mipha. They leaned into his body more, enjoying his latent body heat as the fire began to die, and he tucked them under a wing as if it were a blanket around their shoulders.

The morning sun eventually rose on the new year and revealed a comical tableau within the Princess’ quarters. Daruk had curled himself into a ball by a now extinguished fire with a stack of items perched on top of him, perfectly balanced in the moment. Revali and Urbosa were completely spread eagled across their chairs, which would no doubt lead to very unfortunate cricks in their necks when they woke up. Then there was a bundle of scales curled up on the floor, a top the fluffiest rug imaginable, with two Princesses sleeping on each other’s shoulders in the centre of the coil. Link had drawn back his wing from around them only so he could envelope them both himself, tucking them close to his body.

All six of them were completely dead to the world, in a private fragment of time that existed solely for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter didn’t originally exist in my plans. It was meant to be a small thing that happened at the end of the last chapter but it rambled itself into a chapter all of it’s own. Ok. But I’m glad it’s here because it gave me the opportunity to have the characters give each other exposition and build on a sense of camaraderie.
> 
> Also I can now give Link and Revali the friendship they deserve a la Castlevania’s Trevor and Alucard.  
> Revali: Eat shit and die  
> Link: Yes, fuck you too
> 
> Thank you all for the wonderful comments, I never expected this story to get such a following, and I have another piece of fanart to show off as well!  
> [by artandanimal @ twitter](https://twitter.com/artandanimal/status/1197093558886576133?s=20)
> 
> Hope you all had good holidays and will have a Happy New Year!


	19. Play Fight

**CHAPTER 19 – Play Fight**

Hylia’s Rebirth had come and gone, marking the start of a new year for Hyrule. One that was beginning in better spirits than the last despite the ever increasing signs that the Calamity drew near. All because the people could see that their Champions, their stalwart defenders, looked stronger than ever.

The Champions were staying at the Castle for the rest of the week before they had to return home and were keen to actually spend time together. Sadly, Link and Zelda were a bit more limited in when and where they could go with the other Champions as Zelda had duties to perform. Duties that subsequently involved Link. 

But today Link got to train. His modest little work outs in Zelda’s room or study while she was busy researching had not been enough to burn off his latent energy. No, excessive talking – telepathy – seemed to do that just fine, but he needed an excuse to stretch his legs. Also to get his agility back - he was so done with being bulky and uncoordinated. If he wanted to ensure that he could provide an adequate defence against the Calamity he would need to be at his best. No matter which form he took when the time came.

To facilitate his increased size, the squads practicing today had moved from the training room inside to the open space on the east side of the Castle, just above the lockup. It was a large open space with some scattered trees at the far end for moving target practice. Some of the trees still bore evidence of missed targets.

“Alright people, get stretching and check your weapons. I don’t want to see any bare blades. It’s a combat drill session today, seeing as we have a volunteer…”

Brigadier Lethbridge was in charge of all the military units that were comprised of knights and their ranking Captains. As such, it meant she was usually the one to oversee the more advanced training drills. Tackling heavy class monsters for example. Today, her former star pupil, now in the form of a Dragon, was going to reprise his role of a Lynel. Link’s job was to give his fellow knights as much trouble for them to overcome as possible. Seeing as how the little terror had managed to do that pretty well when he was only just over five feet tall, Lethbridge didn’t think he’d have that much trouble with the request now.

Lethbridge’s job was to observe her Captain subordinates, while they watched their squads. She settled herself in for a very entertaining training session.

‘ _Brigadier Lethbridge?’_

Turning her head, she saw Link standing at her side. How the devil had managed to get so close without her noticing until he was barely three feet away she would never know. But, she had been asked a question.

“Yes?”

‘ _Permission to run, sir.’_

Odd request.

“Granted?” The Brigadier said, making her answer sound more like a question, but she understood as soon as Link took off in a sprint around the edge of the training area.

“Ah, poor bastard,” Rory commented, leaning against his halberd until Lethbridge gave him a look and he quickly straightened out his posture. “He must have been getting a bit cramped holed up in the Castle for so long, can’t imagine he had much room up there. Did you know he was sleeping in the Princess quarters?”

To this, Lethbridge raised an eyebrow.

“Oh yeah,” Ashei piped up, leaning in to the conversation under the pretence of stretching. “Couldn’t have him constantly going into Link’s room while he was incognito, so the Princess stashed him in her room.”

“It’s not like the Castle is short of rooms,” Lethbridge muttered, watching as Link zoomed past them to complete another circuit.

“Right? But anyhow, he’s not sleeping in there anymore. He’s moved to the landing above her room.”

“A compromise if ever I’ve heard one,” Rory chuckled, and put his fingers in his mouth to whistle at Link as he went hurtling away from them, “did the Princess never take you for walks or what?!”

Link had been enjoying his run. Being able to race over the terrain, as limited as it was, was exhilarating. His leg muscles began to burn far too early however, already complaining from their lack of constant use. To think he used to get up early for a jog every morning, now look at him. He pushed his limbs forward, ignoring the ache and instead coming to relish it. This was what he was good at.

He heard Rory’s whistle and keyed into his voice, his floppy ears already blowing back against the side of his head as he bounded across the grass. He needn’t have bothered focusing so hard as it was just Rory mouthing off again. He used to fancy him why, exactly?

Curving around, Link made a beeline for the Captain and applied the brakes. Only he didn’t stop immediately. He skidded across the ground, tearing up grass and dirt in his wake as he tried to slow his momentum. Rory’s bravado was long gone in the face of an oncoming Dragon and he skipped out of the way. Ashei, on the other hand, did not move a muscle and was therefore situated beside the Brigadier right in front of Link when he finally stopped.

Link looked behind himself sheepishly as he observed the damage he’d done to the turf.

“You’re still a fast bugger aren’t you? Weigh a bit more now though, yeah? That’s called inertia,” Ashei said, a tad mockingly as she patted Link’s face on her way past to rejoin her squad.

“Oh yeah,” Lethbridge said under her breath, “today’s gonna be a fun one.”

The Brigadier directed Link to stand in the middle of the training ground and allowed the Captains to position their squads how they saw fit while Lethbridge watched from the sidelines.

“You guys know the drill by now. Link is your adversary and he’s pissed - Link, do try to look angry, won’t you?”

Obediently, Link lowered his centre of gravity and conjured a growl from deep within his chest. A couple of the Knights actually took a step backwards. Ah, maybe dial it back a bit.

“He’s a Lynel blocking your path. You have no choice but to engage. Begin!”

Link kept his eyes glued to at least one squadron at a time as they started to advance towards him. They made a few weak jabs at his head and body but he didn’t even bother pretending to back away from them, stubbornly holding his ground. They didn’t advance any further. Already he’d noticed that they co-ordinated within their squads, but not between them.

Clearly Lethbridge had noticed it too.

“Now what’s the one thing you don’t do when confronted with a Lynel?” She boomed, already taking note of their hesitance. Funny, they didn’t have this problem when Link used to be a quarter of the size he is now.

“Attack it?” Said one Knight, which was valid but not helpful for the situation.

“Hope it leaves?!” Said another.

‘ _Attack from the front!’_ Link answered, before remembering he wasn’t the one being asked. He quickly spun around to see Rory’s squad creeping up behind him.

“Bugger,” Rory hissed.

Link’s pupils dilated and his tail began to swish from side to side, kicking up small clouds of dust from the ground. In that moment, all of the knights were struck with the realisation that they were facing a very big, armoured cat and they were all mice out in the open.

The Hero pounced. 

Rory’s squad dived out of the way but Link had managed to single one out from the group, separating them from the others. He stalked forward, winding this way and that to prevent the knights escape until he was at the very edge of the training area. Bending his head down, Link poked the knight in the chest with the tip of his horn, causing a small electric shock which made the man yelp.

“Corski, you’re out!” Lethbridge called, and the ‘killed’ knight went to stand beside her, dejected.

Now the squads were working together, sticking close to one another in a swarm. Link tried feinting and darting towards them but the units would simply break off into smaller groups, but never leaving a single one of their number out in the open.

 _Alright then. Time to ramp it up,_ Link thought and he sunk low, tensing his back legs.

“What’s he doing?” Whispered a voice from the group, just before Link charged forward and chaos ensued.

He slammed into an entire segment of knights and they were all bowled over from the impact, but Link didn’t stop there. He then pirouetted – or the four legged equivalent – and struck the knights trying to group up behind him with his tail, sending them into the dirt as well.

Lethbridge continued to call out a long string of names while Link honed in on the remaining groups. He noticed that Rory was still standing and so was Ashei. He felt his mouth bend into a grin, showing off his shiny, platinum teeth.

“Oh no.”

At this point some bright sparks with the group decided to hell with melee and swapped to their bows, aiming to pelt him with arrows. Granted, they were only the practice variety – cloth balls packed with coloured powder tied to the tips – by they still used to hurt.

‘ _Finally,’_ Link thought, setting himself the challenge to avoid being hit even once.

The more he dodged, the quicker his body remembered this song and dance and reapplied it to a different body build. It became easier to swerve and make sharp changes in direction. However, it did mean that Link was less able to go on the offensive. Finally, the knights were gaining some ground, pushing Link back towards the sparse trees.

Skirting around another arrow that left a plume of orange dust across the grass on impact, Link went in for the kill.

“Oh, you motherfucker!” Rory screamed, as he took off running, away from Link’s charge and the rest of the knights.

Admittedly, Rory sacrificing himself as bait was giving the remaining knights the perfect opportunity to attack him from the back but Link was actually having _fun_ with this. Rory gave a good chase but Link was now much stronger and much bigger, capturing him after only a couple of minutes. Lifting a single clawed hand, Link placed it over Rory’s chest and pushed the knight captain down into the ground with it, keeping him trapped there as his claws sunk into the dirt over each shoulder.

“Rory, you’re out,” Lethbridge called over, and Rory rolled his eyes but refused to give up, wriggling with all his might to escape.

Link gently started to mouth at his armour, careful not to apply too much pressure with his teeth lest he leave damage like he had with General Tapidor.

“Oh, disgusting! Get off me,” Rory griped, pushing at Link’s head until he relented and allowed Rory to limp away. “Can’t believe I actually missed you’re absolutely feral tendencies.”

There was just a handful of knights left, Ashei among them. However, before Link could choose his next target a blur of movement broke off from the group, dashing straight for him. They were small, fast, and very determined. They got right up into Link’s personal space and jabbed up at his face with a fleece wrapped spear. Thoroughly startled, Link reared up away from the attack, exposing his armoured underside as he attempted to balance on his back legs.

Seeing that their gambit had worked, the speedy knight went in for the finishing blow but stopped when the towering form of the Dragon Hero reached a tipping point. Overbalanced and unable to settle his weight onto his hips correctly, Link toppled over backwards and crashed onto the ground.

The attacking knight wasted no time and launched themselves onto Link’s front, pointing their spear directly at Link’s throat.

“Aaand, we’re done! Well done, Robin. Ok everyone, wrap up and wind down. Breakdown is in ten minutes,” the Brigadier announced.

While everyone began to start their cooling down exercises, Link was still sunny side up, staring up at the sky. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had managed to get the upper hand against him, but it had pointed out a glaring flaw. He needed to work on his balance.  

“Are you alright?” A voice to his side asked and he realised that the speedy knight – Robin -  had climbed back off of him and was standing next to his head, spear held loosely to one side. “That fall looked kinda hard.”

‘ _I’m good,’_ Link said and proved it by rolling over and standing back up. He shook himself a little to dislodge some grit and blades of grass from his scales, feeling a faint twinge along his spine. _‘No harm done.’_

“Oh, that’s good, I didn’t actually want to hurt you, sir.”

It still felt odd to be called ‘sir’.

‘ _You saw an opportunity and you took it. Can’t fault you for that.’_

“Hm! I remembered from when you used the same trick as a trainee. You went for speed and agility over everything else and it always seemed to work so I thought I’d give it a try. I only just graduated as a Knight by the skin of my teeth recently you see.”

 _Oh no,_ Link thought as he realised the look that Robin was giving him was one of awe.

“Ah, but that’s because Link here is a reckless fool who has no concern for his own safety,” Ashei said, who was placing her bow on her back again. “Also, he didn’t have enough body weight to compete against bigger and stronger opponents so he had to resort to being fast and twitchy as fuck.”

“It’s effective though,” Robin argued, but agreed that it had been a risk to break away from the safety of the group. They weren’t so sure they’d repeat the trick against an actual Lynel.

‘ _It works for me, but when you’re engaging as part of a team one person moving out of synch can put the whole squad in danger,’_ Link advised gently. It was a bold move, one he absolutely would have done, but he now realised he was probably setting a bad precedent for others. He was supposed to be setting a good example as the Hero.

_Oops._

“To be fair, he only does it when he’s working alone,” said a soft voice from the sidelines.

Looking over, Link saw Mipha standing with the other Champions next to the Brigadier. He couldn’t spot Zelda with them and immediately began to feell anxious but Mipha made a subtle soothing gesture as she came towards him.

‘ _Don’t worry,’_ she said, taking Link’s face in her hands, ‘ _the Princess is spending time with the Sheikah scientists. Impa is watching from up on the parapet and will be joining them soon.’_

Looking up at the protective outer wall of the Castle, Link could see the form of Impa with her short, bright white cropped hair watching him from above. With that in mind, Link deduced that the Princess was well protected where she was and that she was probably having fun. He relaxed.

“Lady Mipha!” Robin exclaimed, standing to attention with a snap of their heels.

“At ease! You’re supposed to be winding down, not winding yourself up,” Mipha said, with a grin that revealed her sharp rows of teeth. The young Knight did not relax one iota.

“Yeah, man,” Rory chimed in, having gotten over his earlier defeat as he slung an arm over Robin’s shoulder, “come join the rest of us over here. We all know you’ve got a thing for the Hero, but give the guy some space.”

As Rory led the young knight away, Link could hear Robin spluttering in horror and embarrassment. He could also feel Mipha giggling as she surreptitiously searched for any injuries along his back, obviously thinking him distracted. Link decided not to point out otherwise.

“That was quite the crash you had,” Urbosa noted, leading the rest of the Champions to their position. “Anything broken?”

“Doesn’t seem like it,” Mipha reported, taking back her hand but not before subtly caressing him with her magic and soothing his aching muscles. He gave her a mental hug in return which caused her cheeks to darken ever so slightly. He never got tired of making her go different colours.

In fact, he never got tired of her at all.

“- too bad we’ve never actually had chance to test that.”

‘ _What?’_ Link asked, zoning back into the conversation quickly. He hadn’t been staring at Mipha’s face. Nope.

“Just pointing out that we’ve never actually fought one another,” Revali said, giving Link a pointed look, “you know.”

“Well, how about now?” Urbosa suggested, “I could do with a little exercise. Haven’t had chance to really let loose in a while.”

“Neither have I actually,” Mipha agreed, taking her spear in hand from it’s holster on her back and stamping it into the ground. Her blush had finally vanished. “Maybe once we’ve all warmed up, Revali can start teaching Link how to fly?”

Both women turned to look at their ornery companion who gave a put upon sigh, entirely for show, and waved a wing forward.

“Not today. I’d like to see what our Hero here is capable of these days. He’s been rather lazy over winter I hear.”

“Ah, I think we’re all guilty a’ that,” Daruk chuckled, rubbing the back of his head, guilty as charged.

“Absolutely not!” Revali said, affronted. “Time spent not training is an opportunity to improve wasted.”

“Yes, yes. We know you’re a workaholic, now how about you put your money where your mouth is,” Urbosa dared, accepting a training blade from a nearby standing knight who was watching her with unrestrained wonder. Urbosa gave her a wink.

“I’ll need a training spear too if anyone has one. Wrapping them in fleece is a good idea, never thought to do that before,” Mipha said as she eyed the training weapon in Urbosa’s hand.

Robin dutifully bounded forward to offer up their own spear and Mipha took it from them gently.

“Don’t suppose you got a big one a’ those for me have ya’?” Daruk asked, looking around and noticing the distinct lack of greatclubs, or anything even remotely resembling his crusher.

“Don’t think so Champion Daruk,” Lethbridge said, but she looked to be thinking hard. “We have some more weapons back in the armoury?”

But Daruk just waved a giant hand to brush away the thought, “don’t worry about it, I’ll just use some good ol’ fashioned wrestlin’.”

Link didn’t like the sound of that.

Revali was allowed to keep his bow but swapped out his arrows for the soft tipped kind. Someone even managed to find the ones loaded with blue powder for him.

“Excellent, by the time I’m done with our Hero here he’ll be sporting a polka dot pattern.”

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

The fight was, understandably, a lengthy affair and so the gathered knights had settled themselves in for the show. A prior agreement between the Champions meant the spar was a free for all and they’d formed a loose circle until given the signal to start; a sharp whistle from the Brigadier.

While Revali held dominion over the skies, he kept himself low to still incite a challenge, firing off arrows into the paths of the Champions below. Urbosa and Mipha had squared off initially, trading blows with sword and spear that behaved as extensions of themselves. They both parried and blocked without fault as each action bled into the next. There was a brief tussle between Link and Daruk, with the Goron’s muscle giving him an advantage in terms of wrestling and subduing weaker opponents. Unfortunately, he’d never had to try and grapple something so damn wriggly before and could not hold Link for long.

At one point, Mipha used her spear to push herself up onto Link’s back and Revali had crowed his approval over the whistle of arrows. Link had to contort his long body in a serpentine manner to avoid being hit and Urbosa briefly became obscured by a cloud of bright blue powder as she raised her shield to deflect them. In the momentary distraction, Link was able to yank Urbosa’s sword from her hand. She responded in kind by throwing her shield like a frisbee at his head, which connected with a loud _thunk_ and brought about cries of sympathy from the watching crowd. She did get back her sword though. 

The battle would probably have gone on all day and only ceased because Mipha, still riding on Link’s back asked for a boost and timed her jump to coincide with Revali flying directly over them. Completely unprepared for a flying Zora, Revali was left at the mercy of gravity as Mipha collided with him in mid air, bringing them both back to the ground and Brigadier Lethbridge whistled for the spar to stop.

There was no clear winner from their bout but the whooping and hollering from the assembled crowd was a reward in itself and each Champion took a bow, grateful to regain their breath.

It took some time for the gathering of onlookers to disperse and many of them were still discussing the fight with each other as they left. That’ll give the Castle something new to talk about. Something _positive_ for a change.

Link was rather pleased with how the days training had turned out, having expected it to be much more frustrating. He’d envisioned having to accept that his years of hard work and practice would be wiped clean and he’d have to start all over again. But, it looked like all of his skills were still there and being able to exercise them against such fierce opponents made him feel more confident.

There were definitely areas he could improve on but he would still be functional as the Hero.

“Well, that was fun,” Urbosa grunted as she stretched.

‘ _Nice trick with the shield,’_ Link congratulated, sitting down to free one of his front legs so he could rub at the sore spot on the side of his head.

The Gerudo Champion just grinned dangerously, “don’t take my sword.”

“You certainly didn’t come across as graceless as you were fearing,” Mipha pointed out, beckoning for Link to lower his head so she could attend to the impact site. Just because she wouldn’t be able to see the bruise didn’t mean it wouldn’t be there after a hit like that.

“Oh, for heaven’s sakes, don’t coddle him,” Revali said, giving the Hero a withering look, “still, you were at least adequately proficient during the match. I suppose you haven’t been slacking off entirely.”

‘ _You certainly made me work for it, but I think I dodged all of your shots.’_

Instead of voicing a reply, Revali just smirked and a made a ‘turn around’ gesture with one of his pinion feathers.

Already bracing himself, Link spun around on the spot and then looked over his back. There, right on his butt, was a splash of bright blue powder dusting his scales. He frowned.

‘ _Really?’_

The Rito exploded with laughter, holding his sides with his wings as he bent backwards with the force of it. “How could I not?!”

“Oh, looks like Impa’s leavin’. Probably going ta’ tell Tiny Princess she missed our fight,” Daruk noticed, idly flicking grass off of his arms from where he’d tried to wrestle Link into the dirt.

They all turned to watch as the Sheikah walked along the parapet and then disappeared out of sight as she descended the stairs of the nearest watch tower. Link made a motion to follow after her, so that he could rejoin the Princess, but Urbosa clamped a hand down on his shoulder and turned to address Mipha.

“Why don’t you follow Impa so she can take you to wherever Zelda has stashed herself? You’re having problems with Vah Ruta, right?” 

Link cranked his head around just in time to see Urbosa wink and give an odd head nod towards his back. As far as he knew, Mipha was having no problems with Vah Ruta whatsoever but whatever secret message had been relayed between them Mipha seemed to understand.

“Oh! Yes, of course, that’s a good idea. I’ll go now,” she said, utterly unconvincingly. She almost skipped out of the training area and then had to come back quickly to swap out her training spear for her real one.

Link raised an eyebrow at his fellow lightning-wielder and she stared back at him, all pretences completely gone as they sized each other up.

“Couldn’t help noticing your earlier moment of distraction,” Urbosa murmured, leaning in to Link’s personal space so that no-one else could hear her.

‘ _During the fight?’_ Link asked, concerned that he’d had a lapse in judgement at some point. To be honest, he was more curious about Mipha’s abrupt exit.

“No, no, before then,” she corrected, turning to look at him with a secretive smile, “get lost in Mipha’s eyes, did we?”

Link froze and the tension must have been visible for the Gerudo chuckled and patted him on the neck, “relax. I don’t think anyone else noticed. Besides Mipha herself of course.”

Deflating a little, he waited for the conversational axe to fall but Urbosa was simply appraising him. She cocked her head to one side.

“I’ve also noticed the sudden increase in your attentions towards Princess Zelda. And that very cuddly behaviour on the night of the New Year. Bit ambitious to be so _familiar_ with two Princesses, don’t you think?”

It was a wonder Link didn’t just simply jettison himself from this conversation but he managed to stay rooted to the spot as his mind went to static. _What?_

‘ _What?’_ He asked, thoroughly blind-sided. Was she being serious, he thought she was just teasing him earlier. Wasn’t taking care of Zelda his job? ‘ _Am I not supposed to care for her well-being?’_

“Hmm,” Urbosa hummed with consideration for a moment, “I didn’t say you shouldn’t be, but most Knights don’t take quite such an invested interest in the emotional wellbeing of their charges. Nor do they bend their oaths quite so spectacularly to better suit those they are meant to be guarding.”

Link shifted his weight slightly, ‘ _am I in trouble, Urbosa?’_

They maintained eye contact for about ten seconds before she started to laugh.

“Great Sands, no, but I at least thought you _knew_ you were doing it. You don’t even realise it do you? Or perhaps I’m terribly mistaken after all… That _would_ be disappointing.”

Link had no idea what was going on anymore.

Seeing his lack of comprehension, Urbosa placed a hand on the top of his head and brought him to her eye level.

“You care for Zelda, don’t you? Just as much as you care for Mipha?”

_‘... yes?’_

Urbosa was getting more and more cryptic with every word she said. Link blinked uncomprehendingly and his fellow Champion rolled her eyes skyward before staring him right in the eye.

“You would do anything for them?”

_‘Absolutely.’_

“Protect them from all harm? Make sure they’re happy?”

_‘Yes.’_

“You love them.”

 _‘Of course I-‘_ Link stuttered to a stop, replaying the conversation backwards as silence overcame him.

The longer he stood there, staring off into oblivion, the more obvious it seemed now in hindsight. He and Mipha had been friends for years and if anything were to happen to her it would feel like a piece of himself was gone too. She had always been someone he felt comfortable with, safe with, and even when he began to withdraw due to anxiety and stress she never left him. Never tried to breach that bubble, only waited for him to reach out to her. In return, he’d tried to meet her halfway where he could. He wanted nothing more than for her to have continued success in a long and happy life.

He’d just never attributed those feelings as an act of love before.

But now he was coming to terms with the fact that those same feelings had started to blossom when he thought about Princess Zelda too. Making sure she was comfortable, putting her wants above the requirements of his duty, and encouraging her in the things she enjoyed. Of course, this presented a whole host of problems, but right now they didn’t seem quite so important.

His jaw loosened and dropped but not out of embarrassment for being caught in a slip up. It was complete and utter surprise. Because Urbosa was _right._

“Ah, I take it the penny dropped in that overly large skull of yours,” she said.

“It must have echoed something awful,” chipped in Revali.

“Hey now, leave the Brother alone,” came Daruk’s voice but Link only vaguely registered them, still processing.

Euphoria was starting to set, in light of this new discovery, and he couldn’t help but beam. Literally, he began to glow.

Link knew that, later, he would have to deal with the inevitable pitfalls that came with being enamoured by not one but _two_ members of royalty but right now, he felt _happy_. A subtle rumbling noise started in his chest, unbidden but indicative of his mood.

“You weren’t exactly being obvious about it but there is a difference in the way you behave around those two and Mipha actually came to talk to me about it,” Urbosa explained, now that she could see Link wasn’t freaking out. “Seeing as she couldn’t talk to my Little Bird about it, she wanted a second opinion in case she was imagining things. She got a glimpse through your emotional … connection, that her feelings were at least somewhat reciprocated by the two of you but I at least thought you were aware of it before now. Poor girl. So, now that you know this, what do you plan to do about it?”

‘ _Nothing_ ,’ Link said, brightly.

“Nothing?” Daruk despaired, not even bothering to pretend he wasn’t a part of the conversation anymore.

‘ _I’m currently a Dragon,’_ Link pointed out, ‘ _and I’ve only just had this pointed out to me. I need more time to … acclimatise.’_  

Urbosa huffed a laugh despite herself, “did Zelda teach you that one?”

He clawed at the ground sheepishly, but couldn’t feel it within himself to be annoyed by her tease. Yes, he had learned some things off of the Princess and he was proud of that.

“Alright, we won’t say a word,” she assured before turning a sharp eye towards the other two Champions, “will we?”

Daruk and Revali were busy looking elsewhere all of a sudden but Link knew they wouldn’t betray him like that. They were invested now.

“Hmpf, in any case, I think giving yourself time to think it over is a very wise thing to do, Link. Just know if you need to talk, you’re not short of people to turn to, alright?”

It struck Link that this was how Urbosa usually behaved around Zelda. It felt odd to have that consideration and care directed at him but he welcomed it, nodding to her to show that he understood. But more importantly, that he accepted their help.

He was learning that working as part of a team was much more fun than trying to go at everything alone.

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

Deep in the Castle’s interior, there lay a dormant Guardian. It had once been buried under many layers of rock and soil in an excavation site just outside Castle Town. All but one of it’s legs were intact but the reason this Guardian was so special was the missing segment of it’s helm, allowing Sheikah Researchers to get a glimpse of it’s innards.

Zelda was in heaven.

“This kind of construction is like nothing I’ve ever seen before, but there’s also a sort of art and detail to it that I recognise from the other pieces of technology you’ve managed to uncover.”

“’We’, Princess, that _we’ve_ managed to uncover,” Purah corrected, pulling herself up onto the Guardian next to the Princess, who had her top half buried in the defunct machine. “But I quite agree, our ancestors certainly did seem keen to keep with the theme of it all, didn’t they?”

“I dunno, could have had a bit more flair I think,” Robbie suggested, pulling behind him a trolley covered in tools.

“Not your kind of flair,” Purah muttered.

But Zelda was not really listening and their banter joined the rest of the background noise. All around her were gears and tubing that coiled within the interior of the helm. An engraved disc sat at the bottom, partitioning off the helm segment from the main body and therefore hiding the mechanisms that no doubt controlled the legs. No amount of force had managed to pry it open and anything more destructive would risk damaging the internal components. The chassis seemed immune to all forms of damage except it’s own weapons systems.

Zelda wondered whether the Master Sword would have even made a scratch on these things. She’d have to ask Link to test his teeth and claws on this one at some point, seeing as he’d already obliterated one half of it’s face.

The blue glass eye had been popped out of its socket and now lay on the trolley next to all of Robbie’s tools, but the place where it had sat was still there. Leaning further into the space, Zelda could see the bracket that held it in place from the back and a series of rings aligned behind it. The rings looked to have held something in their centres, if the shattered pieces of glass were any indication, but what?

There was a dark staining on the mechanisms directly below the empty rings as if something had spilled onto them. Did the glass used to contain a liquid in them once?

Pulling herself back out of the contraption, Zelda slid off the Guardian to retrieve her notebook, sharing her thoughts out loud as she wrote.

“I think the eye is some sort of focusing gem. There’s a series of rings behind it that may have contained liquid in glass capsules? Or perhaps something that melted with the Guardians destruction. If it produced light, or some other form of energy, it may have been concentrated as it passed through each ring before being focused into a beam as it passed through the gem,” she theorised.

“Robbie had a similar idea about the eye but hadn’t connected the rings to it,” Purah said, peering over Zelda’s shoulder to see her rough sketches. “But that would make some theoretical sense. But I’m not sure what could produce that much energy in a closed system like that. Even with a focus, it’s blasts have a huge amount of destructive capability.”

“I’ve tried identifying the material this is cast from,” Robbie interjected, holding up the glass ball in his hands, “but I’ve got nothing. Whatever it is, it’s not naturally occurring I can tell you that.”

“Ugh,” Purah said with a noise that sounded like a back-draft of air down her throat, “this is why I write down _everything._ Why didn’t they think to leave clear instructions ten thousand years ago?!”

“I actually started talking about that with Link recently,” Zelda mentioned, still looking at her notes.

“Oh?” Purah inquired, intrigued, “and what did our resident mute have to say about that?”

“He agrees that there’s probably a lot of information trapped within the Slate.”

“Really now? And he communicated this to you how, exactly? Interpretative dance?”

“Oh! Link has telepathy.”

Purah put down her pen and Robbie nearly dropped the glass eye. They stared at her and the force of their focus finally got Zelda to look up.

“… I forgot to mention that didn’t I?”

“Just a bit, Princess,” Robbie said, shaking his head fondly.

“Sorry.”

“Blow this!” Purah declared, throwing her hands up, “where is he?! I want to talk to him.”

“Oh don’t bother him, Purah. He’s actually a rather private person and I think talking tires him out, even if it is all in his head,” Zelda said.

“Talk to him often do you? Having secret conversations? Hmm? You’re certainly more _fond_ of him than you used to be.”

The tone of voice Purah was using usually spelled doom for whoever it was being used on and quite frequently that happened to be Zelda. The Princess grimaced and fought down the blush to her face.

_Why am I blushing? There’s no need for it._

“We don’t have secret conversations, but yes I have actually grown quite fond of him. Turns out he isn’t the arrogant snob I thought he was. He’s actually a very nice, genuine person.”

“Oh? You really are close to him now, aren’t you? You wouldn’t have bothered trying to save him from me before-“

“He shouldn’t need ‘saving’ from you, at all,” Impa said, striding into the room. “Also, you lot just missed an exhibition match between the Champions. One hell of a show.”

“Aww what!?” Purah cried, thoroughly derailed from her teasing onslaught and Impa sent Zelda quick wink while her sister continued to complain.

“By the way, Mipha is lingering outside, your highness. I think she’s curious about what you’re doing if you’re open about her coming in?”

Before answering, Zelda looked to the two leading researchers for their approval but they were already heading to the door.

“Lady Mipha, please come in, we’re always willing to explain our work to anyone new whose interested,” Robbie assured, welcoming the quiet Zora inside. “As a pilot I’m sure you could help provide us with a lot of personal insight into your Divine Beast.”

“Oh! Yes, of course, anything I can do to help,” Mipha said, a little taken a back that the researchers would be so interested in _her._ “I must say, my experience has been much more focused on the spiritual side of things, rather than the more physical workings of it.”

Zelda beamed from the sidelines as Mipha explained in detail what she meant by ‘spiritual side of things’, having thoroughly captured the attentions of the two Sheikah scientists. It was nice having more people understand her enthusiasm for the ancient technology. Not only did it mean more people would be willing to listen to her speaking her thoughts out loud but it also made her feel like she had back-up. It created a warmth inside that took a long time to diminish on it’s own, fuelling her in a way.

Link had been a very good listener thus far but he didn’t have quite the same personal experience with the technology that Mipha did. Everything he knew came from Zelda to begin with, but despite that he’d been very supportive of her ideas. It was sweet really.

A dangerous sentiment given that he was supposed to be her Knight.

She’d been able to hear Urbosa’s take on being a pilot but Mipha had been the first to make a complete connection with her Divine Beast, with Vah Ruta responding to her as if she were a reunited friend. Such was the Zora’s empathic powers.

“It’s almost like, I can feel her when I’m on board. A pulse beneath my feet,” Mipha described, her eyes un-focused as she lived in a moment of the past. “If I want to go forward she responds and if I ask her to do something she is unable to do she will make do with the goal I have in mind. Or she grumbles and gives me chat back. It’s a good thing I think she’s cute.”

Wait.

“Because she has a personality,” Zelda recalled quietly. She had told Link something similar and then he’d relayed that information to Daruk in order to help him connect with Vah Rudania.

“Exactly,” Mipha agreed, turning her attention solely towards Zelda, “she _knows_ what I want to do. She’s not just a machine I give commands to, it’s more like having a conversation. She _responds_.”

“That’s incredible!” Zelda gushed, and she failed to notice the Sheikah in the room side-eyeing each other as the two Princesses continued to converse amongst themselves. They seemed to amp each other up, more and more, the longer they talked.

“Brings back memories,” Impa said, quietly, under her breath, “they used to be like this years ago.”

“Yeah, back when the Queens were still alive,” Purah whispered and they shared a commiserating silence. Simpler times.

The room was kept alive by the sounds of happy chatter from the pair of Royalty until a Dragon head popped into the room through the open doorway. Link’s sudden appearance gave Purah enough of a fright that her pen was launched into the ceiling and it clattered somewhere on the opposite of the room.

‘ _Apologies, didn’t mean to scare you, I was just looking for-‘_

“He speaks!” Purah shrieked and the conversation between Zelda and Mipha derailed as they turned to look at the doorway.

Upon spotting Link, standing there awkwardly with his wings clamped tightly along his sides, they rushed over to greet him. It filled his heart with joy that they were so eager to see him, but now that Link had had his little epiphany in regards to his _feelings,_ he was trying very hard to take notice of how he behaved around the pair of them. Which was easier said than done.

Unfortunately, he was here with a message.

‘ _I’m afraid the King is looking for you,’_ he announced and he hated to be the one to cause Zelda’s elation to turn into a frown. Now he just felt wretched. She seemed to be mulling over several responses at once, all of them probably at the cost of her continuing research but then Impa sniffed.

“Link?”

‘ _Yes, sir?’_

Impa smirked.

“Be a dear and block the hallway won’t you?”

Link’s idea of blocking the hallway was apparently to just lie straight across it, effectively stopping any foot traffic from passing by him. It made sense that people would often look for another way to get to their destination when their intended route was blocked by a Dragon. Zelda and Mipha remained undisturbed for a good while yet and Purah got to pick his brains undisturbed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woof, nearly forgot to update - I've been sucked back into Doctor Who, gosh I love Thirteen...  
> Long one this time and that’s after I condensed the full fight scene between the Champions, which you can read [in full here btw if it takes your fancy.](https://docs.google.com/document/d/145Aq43AqJu3OEyMkhUnMr-xz4-Jxsu7kIvOH0_bvS_k/edit?usp=sharing)
> 
> Deleted scene:  
> Link: ... Is this where you tell me if I break Zelda's heart you'll kill me?  
> Urbosa: Sweet Din, no. If you break her heart, Zelda will put you six feet under herself and Mipha will be there to help dig the hole they put you in.
> 
> Thank you everyone for your comments on the last chapter, it was very reassuring!
> 
> Word Count: 7,087


	20. Little Things

Link folded into a stretch after another morning of exercises and combat drills, where he was the ‘big bad monster’. He shouldn’t enjoy terrorising his fellow soldiers as much as he does. As the trainees walked off to take a break along the sidelines, some of them limping a little, Link understood that practical lessons were over for the day. A new record. Seeing this, he decided to take his leave of the training grounds and go for a wander. He passed the Brigadier on the way out, who grunted and gave him a pat on the shoulder.

After tomorrow, all of the Champions will have left to start journeying home and then he and Zelda would be leaving the Castle to start travelling again. The thoughts Zelda had had during the Ball about the Sheikah Technology had sparked a desire for her to climb up Death Mountain, of all things.

“Not all the way,” she had laughed, after taking in Link’s dubious expression, “just high enough so I can see all of Central Hyrule. There _must_ be something we’re missing and hopefully I’ll spot something from above. A different perspective, that’s all.”

He wished he could have replied with the offer to simply fly her up but he ha yet to properly learn from Revali. It was also presumptuous to imagine that he would get the hang of it immediately and he didn’t want to risk crashing whilst carrying her. Besides, short of throwing himself off a high height he wasn’t sure if flying with passengers would be possible. So, they were planning to climb instead.

He hoped he’d get the hang of flight soon, however, as Mipha would soon be back in Zora’s Domain and flying would make the trip to visit her that much faster.

Now that winter was over, she had duties to attend to back home but she had been wise to mention how she’d been having trouble with Vah Ruta lately in the presence of King Rhoam. Thus, facilitating an excuse for Princess Zelda and himself to come visit. In the meantime, they had a nice, quiet evening planned with just the three of them; Link, Zelda, and Mipha.

Oh, he was going to miss Mipha so much.

Even if they would be meeting her again at some point soon to check up on Vah Ruta and meet with King Dorephan, she would no longer always be in the Castle. The hole she would leave behind would cause them sadness for a while. Her presence had reminded him of a less complicated time from when he was young and she’d been able to bridge the remaining gap between Zelda and himself. That wasn’t to say that he would clam up in her absence, but his personal growth had been much faster with her around.

His … growth.

Link felt like slamming his face into the front gates as he walked past the giant metal doors on his way out of the Castle.

It was so obvious now. They had already clocked that his increase in size hadn’t really started until after he came back from the desert, but it was specifically after he and Zelda had started to meet each other halfway. Then he had begun to grow even faster from the moment Mipha came to stay.

_I’ve grown closer to the both of them too,_ Link thought, as he carefully avoided stepping on civilians. _A bit too close._

It seemed highly likely to him that his growing bond with both Princesses was what was fuelling his physical development. He was sure of it. A rush of excitement filled him at the prospect of imparting this new knowledge onto Zelda - taking care to leave out the part about his personal feelings of course. He’d wait until she was in reach of her journal though.

For a moment, he felt awfully proud of himself. Unfortunately, it came with the realisation that he was standing in the middle of Castle Town with a large number of people staring at him. It was midday, peak time for people to be out and about. It was also his first public appearance outside the Castle where people could see him clearly. Training and patrolling around the edge of the moat didn’t really give people the chance to look properly. But they were looking now.

He could of, perhaps, put a bit more thought into this.

The familiar tendrils of panic began to claw their way up from his stomach and along his neck. He had no idea how they were going to react on mass. This could be very bad. With the fountain behind him he couldn’t just reverse and turning back around would look stupid. But before the fear could reach his head and crush him in it’s venomous grip, he heard a yell come from a side street.

A long, drawn out squeal of joy.

“Liiiiiiiiiiink!”

The small and very fast figure of his sister came speeding into the central plaza where he stood and launched herself at his neck.

“You’re here, you’re here, yourehereyourehereyourehere,” she exclaimed, shoving her face into the white scale plating that covered the front of his neck and underside of his body. It probably would have been more comfortable had he still been wearing the modified Royal Guard garment Mipha and Zelda had made for him but she seemed undeterred from her motions. “Have you come for pastries? Dad’s just made some.”

_‘Goddess bless you, Aryll,’_ Link thought and going by her smothered giggle that hadn’t been kept to himself. ‘ _I forgot you could hear me.’_

“You forgot to turn it off!” Aryll corrected him, before pulling away and tugging on one of his ears gently. How considerate. “Come on, before they’re all gone.”

‘ _You know Dad can just make more. That’s his job,’_ Link pointed out, but he was happy to be led away from the surrounding crowd.

The sight of a Dragon being pulled along by a tiny girl was probably not the most threatening image. He could handle the whispers as long as they were accompanied by smiles and endeared grins.

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

The bakery that Link and Aryll’s father, Damien, worked at was called ‘The Yeast Beast’. A name that had original sparked some contention until people had actually tried some of the delicacies on offer and realised it was an accurate description. Damien was a fiend in the kitchen, but only for baking. Located midway down a cobblestone street, to the east of the central plaza fountain, and adorned with the same blue-shale roofs that covered all of the buildings within Castle Town, it wasn’t a particularly grandiose establishment. It boasted a large kitchen at the back with a small seating area inside and a couple of chairs and tables outside the font window.

The roads within Castle Town were very wide for such a busy city and horses were only permitted along designated roads. Side streets like these were for foot travel only.

Link had to think on the ramifications of him walking down these streets, given his size and quadruped nature, but the current pedestrians seemed happy to just move out of the way for him. About halfway down the road Aryll had given up walking and decided to climb him instead, settling herself on his back. When they reached The Yeast Beast she jumped off of him again and ran inside.

This left him standing outside his father’s bakery, in the middle of the road with nothing else to do but wait. There was no-one seated in the outside chairs, still a bit too cold for that, but there were a couple of people standing outside the pub just down the street. Regulars of the ‘King of Red Lions’, who were watching him curiously.

_Probably wondering why I’m here. Or what I’m about to do._

Given where he was and his near bottomless stomach they could be in for quite the show. But no, as lax as he’d gotten in maintaining a respectful image of the Hero, consuming an entire barrel full of pastries might be pushing it.

Whilst still deep in thought of how many pastries could fit inside of a large storage barrel, Aryll came back outside dragging their father out behind her. He still had his apron on and flour covering his hands.

“My boy!” He cried, surging forward to envelop Link in his arms. For once, Link didn’t entirely disappear from view. “What brings you here, son? Hungry?”

“When is he not?” Aryll muttered, incredulous at her father’s foolish question but Link narrowed his eyes at her.

‘ _Hush, you,’_ Link said, snorting into her face, ‘ _and for your information I don’t get hungry anymore.’_

Aryll’s jaw dropped and she clapped her hands on either side of his face, voice taking on a theatrical tone of despair. “Oh my goddess, are you sick? Are you dying?!”

Damien sighed at the actions of his children, especially as his youngest began to attempt to climb into the mouth of the other. Thankfully, she couldn’t get past the teeth.

“Aryll, leave your brother alone, he’s fine. Although, I suppose this means you’re not here to raid the kitchens?” He asked, slightly hopeful.

‘ _I don’t get hungry, but I also don’t get full.’_

“Shouldn’t have held my breath. In that case,” he disappeared back into the shop for a moment, the opening door releasing a cacophony of noise from people excitedly chattering away inside. Coming back out again, Damien now carried a box of cinnamon buns.

Link immediately zeroed in on the warm, spicy aroma.

“Ah ah!” Damien warned, moving the box behind his back and therefore out of reach of Link’s snout, “some of these have to make it to the Princess. You can have one for now.”

Reaching into the box, he took out a single perfectly round bun and held it out for Link to take. It was comical how quickly the tiny treat disappeared into Link’s massive mouth.

“Hmm, maybe you can have two,” his father decided, opening the box to retrieve another.

Once Link’s sweet tooth had been sated, his father sat himself down in the outside seating area and Aryll made herself comfy on a table, before she was quickly shoo’d off and into a chair. He hadn’t been expecting to visit his father today but then again the past few months had been an ongoing stream of unexpected occurrences. He was learning to just go with it and adapt quickly.

At first, he wasn’t sure what to talk about. Did he say how much healthier he was, that he was trying to manage his emotions better? Did he try to brooch the topic about his newfound romantic feelings? He immediately crossed that one off. Not out of fear or a need to hide it but because he knew what the response would be and it was unnecessary. He’d already accepted it was a road to nowhere and he wanted these feelings to be his own, to enjoy them for now. Expressing them meant having to accept how foolish they were.

Sighing out his dilemma he was saved from having to start a conversation as his father got comfortable and immediately launched into a recap of his past week. Stories of unusual customers or gossip he’d heard about the town and just generally filling the silence with the mundane occurrences around the bakery.

It was nice. It was uncomplicated. Eventually, Link’s far more chaotic life ended up being referenced in his father’s tales, but in a pleasantly innocent way.

Since his transformation had gone public, a couple of Damien’s regulars had joked that he should make some dragon-shaped cookies. At first, Damien had resisted until Lucinda, his _wife_ and _beloved mother of their children_ , came home with a customised cookie cutter she’d had made on the other side of town.

“So, if any of those start popping up around the Castle, just know it’s your mother’s fault,” Damien explained, effectively throwing his wife under the proverbial cart in the process.

“I helped decorate them,” Aryll chimed in, looking far too smug for Link’s wellbeing, “with a lot of glitter. Because you’re so shiny.”

Bracing himself for any of those abominations to make their way into the Castle – Hylia forbid, the _garrison_ – Link focused his attention back onto his father who was already off on another story. It was like he was fourteen again, having just come home from training for the guard all day and sat down at their kitchen table with the shop closed. He would decompress in silence as he let his father’s voice wash over him and Aryl would make tiny mountains out of flour she had scooped up from the worktop.

Decompress. There was something that had swiftly become alien to him in the years that followed.

The sound of a chair scraping back against stone drew Link’s attention and he watched as Damien stood up and brushed off his apron.

“Here I am, waxing away and I’ve still got a job to do. Here, let me get you a bag or something we can buckle onto you so you can carry that box of goodies back up to the Castle. One you _can’t_ open for a snack,” he pre-empted, pointing a finger knowingly at his son.

Link refused to look anything other than innocent or utterly blank in the face of such an accusation. However true it was.

“Come on, Aryll, you can help.”

With a put upon sigh, Aryll got to her feet and followed their father into the shop. This left Link to sit neatly to the side of the front door while he waited for their return. Again. Had he been trying to be anything less than the professional knight he was, he would have shoved his head through the door after them. That would have been entertaining. As it was, he made the choice to curb his more mischievous wants and wait patiently.

He was beginning to wonder just how they were going to affix a bag to his person when he felt something small collide into him. Looking round, Link saw a small child sitting on the ground, obviously having just bounced off of him. A few tears were beginning to build in their eyes, probably out of surprise more than any actual pain, but Link was quick to lower his head down to their level to give them attention.

The child’s tears paused in recognition of something new and Link huffed a breath over the toddlers hair, causing them to giggle. All upset forgotten. They grabbed hold of his snout to pull themselves up and then caught sight of Link’s tail. More specifically, the feathery tuft at the end. Link moved it about from side to side, which only enticed the child more and they darted forward to play with it.

The urge to attempt to move his tail while the child was still holding onto it was unbelievable, but he didn’t want to frighten or hurt them. The child couldn’t be more than two or three years old.

_Where are their parents?_

He was still being held in place by the infant when the bakery door whined on it’s hinges yet again and his sister and father walked back out, only to stop in surprise at the image before them.

'I appear to have been captured,' Link explained, and Aryll let out a giggle as she flopped over his back.

“He’s the florist’s boy down the street,” she said in recognition, waving to the child once he realised he had company. He seemed a bit shy now that he had so many eyes on him.

“Ah, maybe you should return him. Might have slipped out while his folks were busy. Hylia knows you gave us the run around a fair few times,” Damien suggested, and he gave Link a pointed look. “I can get this box sent up to the Castle when the postman comes for collections.”

‘ _Sure,’_ Link agreed, helping Aryll to encourage the small boy up onto his back. ‘ _It was nice seeing you, Dad._ ’

“And you, son. And you. I expect you back here in ten minutes lil’ lady!”

“Yes, Dad!” Aryll saluted, and Link very carefully began to walk down the street in search of the boy’s parents.

It wasn’t a long way to the florist’s and the boy seemed quite content to be riding on the back of a Dragon. Aryll was perched behind him to keep him from falling off and she got to enjoy a free ride out of it.

Passing the pub, the group of people loitering outside took notice of the extra passenger now riding around on Link’s shoulders and called out as they passed.

“You doing deliveries now? Or is this lost and found?”

Despite their volume, Link could tell that there was no malicious intent in their words, they just found the situation funny. It must look a bit ridiculous. Aryll, who was without shame, put on her best affronted air, hands on her hips, and shook her hair back as she responded.

“Well, he is the Hero of Hyrule, y’know. Helping people is what he does!”

The pub attendees chortled and bowed their heads good-naturedly in response, with a ‘aye, that he is’ here and a ‘correct you are, m’lady’ there. Yet, Link was struck by the core message of Aryll’s words.

_Huh, this_ is _what I’m supposed to be doing. The Hero doesn’t just defeat the great evil, he helps with the little things too._

Which included returning a wandering child to his very stressed looking parents.

The folks running the florist’s on the east side of town descended upon their child as soon as Link had put him back down on the ground. Amid their many thank-yous and other declarations of gratitude, they explained that he must have slipped away from them while they were attending to a delivery.

They made the Silvis children wait for a moment and returned with a flowery gift for each of them. For Aryll, a bunch off freshly cut sunflowers, one of which she tucked into her hair with glee, and for Link, a bundle of lavender. At first, he was convinced that the rumour of florist’s being psychic was true – they always just happened to know exactly what you needed – but then their boy started to wave up at him.

“Buh-bye, Lavender Lizard!”

Oh. That was why.

Mipha had mentioned that he still smelled of lavender even in this form. Now that he was so big it must be more noticeable. At least it was a nice scent.

Aryll didn’t stop laughing all the way back to The Yeast Beast.

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

With a bunch of lavender now dangling around his neck, Link made his way back up to the Castle, garnering yet more stares. One day, he would become common place. Then again, they’d still stared after nearly three years of him bearing the Master Sword, so perhaps not.

He was passing by a man at the front gates with a cart behind him, who’d been stopped for inspection, when Link caught the smell of bananas.

He fought back his first instinctive reaction to that smell; the sensation of sand beneath his feet, scorching sun on his scales, and sheer panic. This was the Castle. There had been no reports of Yiga anywhere near here.

_Doesn’t mean there isn’t._

Pausing by the gates, under the guise of actually looking at the craftsmanship of the opening mechanism for once, Link ran through the possibilities in his head. On the one hand, it could be Yiga, he knew now that banana smell was associated with them. On the other hand, the man behind him could just be a regular fruit merchant. None of the guards were raising the alarm, so the papers must be in order but there was a drop off point to the north so that cargo could be brought in to the docks.

Either he risked making a scene or he allowed an assassin into the Castle where the Princess resided. The reasons to stop this man from passing through the gates were mounting and as he remained standing for just a second too long he heard something chime in his head. A soft, echoing chime, unearthly yet familiar.

Flashes back to an old temple, a plinth, and a ribbon of blue swirling around the Master Sword embedded within it. A warning or encouragement?

Either way, Link’s mind was made up and with that he lay himself down, straight across the main entrance into the Castle grounds. In one smooth motion, he effectively blocked the fruit merchants way and thoroughly confused the guards on duty.

No amount of requesting and eventual outright pleading by the Castle Guard could get him to budge and the entire time, the merchant remained silent. Link’s eyes narrowed at the man but until he actually did anything, attacking him out of the blue would look very bad. Still, he was only getting more and more suspicious.

One of the guards sighed, “someone go get the Princess.”

A messenger was dispatched and still Link did not move, keeping at least one eye on the fruit merchant.

“Link,” whispered another guard, and Link recognised the voice as Robin, “come on buddy, this doesn’t look good. You’ve gotta move, you’re blocking the whole way, we can’t get past.”

‘ _Exactly.’_

Obviously not expecting that as a response, Robin leaned away again. Then they caught sight of Link’s point of focus and frowned.

“The merchant? We checked him over he’s fine. Papers all in order and everything. Knew he wasn’t going to make the drop off up north on time and came to this entrance. I asked. Fruits are classed as high perishables, you know they’re allowed through here. I may be new to this but I know what I’m doing.”

Link hummed to show he’d heard, ‘ _a good disguise needs a good cover story.’_

That brought the guard up short.

“Ah,” was all Robin could say, “you’re serious.”

‘ _I’m not trying to undermine you,’_ and he really wasn’t, ‘ _but I’ve smelt someone like him before, in the desert. Just before the Princess was attacked.’_

Robin paled considerably, turning away from the Merchant so he couldn’t see.

“We sent for the Princess to come here…”

‘ _I heard. But I only smell him, no-one else, and he’s not going anywhere.’_

While the Castle Guard were trained to deal with Yiga, it was another thing entirely to suddenly find yourself within ten feet of one. Robin had not been prepared for this today.

“Shall we arrest him?”

‘ _On what grounds?’_ Link asked, still keeping the suspect in his periphery as he looked to the young guard. 

Robin swore under his breath.

It was another few minutes before the Princess arrived with Mipha in tow. They were both sporting a few patches of grease on their hands having no doubt been drawn away from the Guardian in the basement.

“I have been informed that my knight is refusing to move and is blocking the main gate. Sir Link, if you wouldn’t mind removing yourself so that the merchant can get passed, please?” The Princess asked, trying to sound polite but obviously feeling a bit irritated at having been dragged away from her research.

Irritation that was unfortunately bleeding over to Link. He swivelled his head over to her, bringing his face in close.

‘ _I believe he is a security threat and recommend we temporarily bar access to the grounds.’_

“Oh for heavens- for what reason!” Zelda exclaimed.

Mipha had walked around the pair of them to approach the merchant still on the bridge, who was now looking antsy. She stopped at the boundary of the gates as Link finally got up to put himself between her and the merchant.

_’He reeks of bananas,_ ’ Link implored, _‘just like the Yiga.’_

“That’s because he’s _selling_ bananas. Link, you dozy dragon!” Zelda exclaimed, moving forward to try and pull Link’s head away from the merchant with a hand on his snout horn, but he didn’t budge.

Link growled at the man suspiciously who was doing a very good job at hiding his quivering. Far better than any common merchant probably would in this given situation. Additionally, any common merchant who actually valued his cargo would have kicked up a storm at being denied access. Link narrowed his eyes and growled deeper in warning, daring this man to make a move. Give him proof, give him a reason.

Apparently, Link’s intimidation was all the Merchant needed as he threw off his disguise to reveal Yiga colouring beneath and lunged towards the Hylian Princess in a last ditch attempt to achieve his goal.

“For Master- urk!”

The Yiga collided with the solid trunk of Link’s tail as he swung it round in an arc, batting the assassin away from the Princess like a ragdoll. The force of Link’s strike sent the bandit sailing into the moat where he sunk into the water with a loud splash.

With the threat now disposed of, Link turned to give the Princess a look of disapproval out of one eye in the silence that followed. In return, Zelda very meekly ducked out of his sight behind one of his wings.

“Shall I retrieve him?” Mipha asked, who had watched the entire display with an air of vague interest. Clearly, she had made the same connection as Link from the get-go and expected the situation to be dealt with accordingly. There’s empathy for you.

_‘The guards will fish him out … if he resurfaces,’_ Link said darkly, beginning to nudge Zelda back into the Castle grounds like a disobedient kitten while patrol teams flooded past them. He turned to Robin as he passed the gates and said, _’no more bananas.’_

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

Zelda was suitably embarrassed as she was herded back up to her room and it wasn’t until she crossed the threshold that the situation caught up to her. An assassin had almost made it into the Castle. To her.

Suddenly the ground didn’t feel very stable and she quickly reached out for Link to steady herself. He guided her into the centre of the room and she dropped onto the sofa, feeling very cold all of a sudden.

_‘Mipha, could you-?’_

“Blanket?” She asked, the image of Link’s fluffy rug on the landing above them having already formed in his mind before he could construct the words. “I’ll get it, I would suggest lighting a fire too. I’ll close the windows.”

True to her word, as Mipha walked to the spiral staircase at the other end of the room she closed and locked all of the windows she past by, drawing the curtains as well. It wasn’t especially late in the day but none of them would be going anywhere in the remaining hours.

As she disappeared up the steps, Link turned his attention to the fireplace where the maids had already replaced the previous fire’s ashes with new logs to burn. He breathed sparks onto the dry wood and watched it char and catch before returning to Zelda’s side. He settled, encircling the sofa she sat on to create a protective ring.

She was clutching her knees hard enough to make her knuckles turn white.

“They’re here now. They’re at the Castle. They’re-“

‘ _No. You’re safe,’_ Link interrupted, which was a very rude thing to do to his Princess, but letting her dwell on a downward spiral was worse in his opinion. Pesky, foolish feelings.

The Princess’ grip on her knees relaxed and instead she reached out to place a hand on Link’s face.

“Safe. Yes, of course,” she said, shaking herself a little and letting go.

It was at that point Mipha came back down the stairs, carrying Link’s sleeping rug around her like a cape that trailed along the ground.

“I’ve informed the guards above of the situation and they request an update every hour from either myself or Link,” she said quietly, dragging the rug across the floor to lay it out before them. She then settled down on it and opened her arms as an encouragement for Zelda to join her.

Zelda moved to the floor immediately.

“I don’t know why I’m suddenly so scared. I didn’t used to be,” the Princess admitted, cuddling up next to her Zora Champion.

“It’s because the threat became far more real to you,” Mipha explained, resting her head a top Zelda’s and a hand in Link’s feathers as he re-settled around them. “Before it was just a concept, then out in the desert you realised the reality of it.”

“So surely I should be ok with it now?” Zelda argued, clearly annoyed with her own bodies subconscious reactions. Something she had no control over.

‘ _You should never be ‘ok’ with an attempt on your life,’_ Link interjected, forcing back a growl. He would not allow for such things to be so common place that she could get ‘used’ to it.

“Aren’t you?”

‘ _Never.’_

“But… your job?”

_‘I am much more efficient at my job if I stay alive.’_

Sensing Zelda’s frustration, Mipha took over, “what he means is that if he stops reacting to certain threats he’ll become complacent. Complacency leads to mistakes and you stop learning. While he may not show his fear it is only for the benefit of others. If they believe he is unphased then they will be less afraid, less prone to panic.” She paused, weighing up her next words, “you often don’t realise how much you value something until it’s at risk of being taken away.”

It almost sounded like a revelation in Mipha’s voice.

“So, you fight harder to keep it? Is that what you mean?” Zelda asked, always looking for a way to understand that which she previously did not know. Especially if it meant that she could gain some control over it in the process.

Mipha nodded against the Princess’ golden hair, absentmindedly rubbing her cheek against the soft locks.

“You sound almost familiar with this,” Zelda pointed out, her tone one of slow realisation, “you’ve had to deal with assassins yourself, haven’t you?”

There was a moment of quiet following her enquiry and even Link was unsure how Mipha would answer. He’d known her for several years but recognised that she had aged slower, and must have lived longer than he. He’d never considered that she would have had to deal with assassins in her earlier years but now that he thought about it, it seemed likely.

“Oh, a fair few times now,” Mipha confirmed, breathing in deeply, “and they never stop leaving me feeling a little shaken. After all, it’s a moment where you realise everything could have ended for you. But you get to look back on it, you get to carry on and I refuse to waste what I see as extra time being afraid. So yes, Zelda, being shocked is something you should feel, but don’t let it take hold forever. You’re safe here, now, where you can analyse and move on at your own pace.”

Zelda pulled away from her hold to look into Mipha’s eyes.

“Did they ever get close?”

The Zora nodded, her golden eyes shimmering slightly, reflecting light from the now blazing fire, “once, when I was just a little fry. Sidon was all but a tadpole back then, but people came for me and tried to steal Sidon from his nursing pool. Thankfully, they did not get far but they left father with the scar above his eye and my mother was weakened by a lightning projectile. It meant that she wasn’t strong enough too battle the sickness that befell the Zora years later, but they were still years we almost didn’t get to spend with her at all.”

This was all news to Link. He’d known that the Zora Queen had died before he first met Mipha, but had never asked how. Even that young he knew that was just something you didn’t ask. So it was surprising to hear that the Zora Queen had died in such similar circumstances to Zelda’s mother. He’d never known for Zora’s to get sick and perhaps it was only because of the attack that the Queen had succumbed to it.

He wrapped himself around her mind, like a warm scarf and she sank back against him dragging Zelda with her.

“I know father jokes that I came into my powers to keep Link in one piece, but Iike to think it started because I wished to help others in my mother’s position. I do not believe them weak, but sometimes people just need a little extra help. A boost that I can provide for them with my healing. So, Zelda,” Mipha said, turning to look her fellow Princess in the eye, “if it ever feels like too much just know that you can turn to us. You have all the help in the world should you need it.”

Were Link’s ears imagining it or did that sound an awful lot like a declaration of love? Eyeing his two best friends he sure hoped so. Even if he couldn’t love them like he wanted he could settle for them to have each other; they would be happy. He beamed at them as Zelda tucked her face into Mipha’s shoulder and they both curled further into Link’s side. He enveloped them with a wing and was rewarded with muted giggling.

It may not be the evening they had been planning, but it sure felt just as good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wasn’t expecting to delve into Mipha backstory but it felt right. Flying lessons will be next chapter as will the Champions departure, leaving Link and Zelda free to start travelling outside Central Hyrule again. I can see a return to the memory scenes in sight lads, its been a while. Thank you for the comments everyone, they’ve been a delight to read through!
> 
> Received a wonderful piece of fanart on [ Insta by @another_anxious_queer](https://www.instagram.com/p/B7cb09rgayH/?igshid=1haw3uupt5xtg)  
> As usual, please go give it lots of love!  
> Word Count: 5610


	21. Building Momentum

News of the Yiga’s attempt on the Princess’ life, at the Castle Gates no less, spread so quickly that the other Champions were already well informed by the time they met with Link for his flying lessons the next day.

The streets of Castle Town had been buzzing with the news that a Yiga member had managed to walk right through their midst undetected. To top it off, the only reason the assassin had been caught was because the Dragon Champion had literally sniffed him out.

It had caused a temporary city wide ban on the import of bananas as a result. A shame, but a logical precaution for now.

It also caused quite the crowd to form when Link made his way through Castle Town to reach Hyrule Field for his flying lessons with Revali. They didn’t quite block his way as he was travelling on a road populated by carts and horses, but they gathered in groups and waved as he passed by. Cheers and gratitude hailed him from the sides of the road and the attention immediately set him on edge. But he kept his eyes forward and continued on his path.

However, the Princess, riding alongside him, wasn’t sure where to look or what to do. Did she wave back to be polite? But they weren’t cheering for _her._ They were cheering for her knight. She could nod in acceptance but wouldn’t that make her look vain?

She gripped her fingers in slight distress only for Link to look back over his shoulder out of the corner of his eye. His silent query clear. Are you ok back there?

She smiled at him and nodded, patting his side in thanks and he fixed his eyes forward again. Still she wondered, would her people cheer for her like this when she finally got her powers? Or would it be yet another task that was just expected of her, no need to be congratulated over it.

Eventually they reached Hyrule Field, with it’s open grass land, isolated copses of trees, and paths that stretched out from Castle Town like roots. With spring making it’s claim upon the land, the morning dew glittered from the blades of grass still hidden from the sun, while the patches of field in full view of the light were illuminated in bright shades of green. New shoots and leaves sprouting from trees after the weeks of cold and snowfall. It was still fairly chilly this early in the day and Zelda pulled her cloak tighter about herself to retain her body heat.

Link, on the other hand, needed no such insulation as he padded across the damp grass to where a blue Rito stood beside his fellow Champions. He hadn’t anticipated having them as an audience, after all, this was the day they were due to return home. Though this did explain why he had been unable to find Mipha all morning.

Off to the side he saw yet more people who had apparently come to watch. Impa was there, no doubt in order to report back to the King, but what really caught his attention were Purah and Robbie who had both sat themselves in fold up chairs. Clearly they were here for the show. He refrained from rolling his eyes in front of them but Zelda certainly felt his intent to do so.

She chuckled, “come on. The faster you’re in the air, the faster you can get away from them.”

‘ _That’s oddly motivational, thank you.’_

Said motivation didn’t last for long.

Revali had so far been strictly theoretical in his teachings to Link as the days had passed since the ball on New Years. Ever since he had agreed to teach Link, he had been gauging his abilities, sharing insight, and warning him of pitfalls to avoid. He was taking his duty of teaching the Dragon Champion seriously, regardless of his former rivalry with Link. His pride in his craft was greater than his desire to win against Link it would seem.

That and he probably enjoyed having the mighty Hero of Hyrule as his _student_. Unfortunately, despite all of the theory and preparation Link seemed unable to keep himself in the air.

“It’s bizarre!” Revali screeched, wings clamped on either side of his head as  he watched Link shake off grass and dirt after colliding with the ground for the umpteenth time. “It’s like gravity is increasing just for you. As soon as your feet leave the ground you just dive bomb back into the floor. How?!”

The confounded Rito had already demonstrated – shown off – his ability to create an updraft that allowed him to ascend into the sky from a vertical take-off. He had initially tried to use this updraft to give Link a bit of lift, just so he could get a feel for the art of flight. Unfortunately, Link was too heavy and Revali nearly passed out in the attempt to create an updraft strong enough to lift his ‘fat ass off the ground’. And so, Link had been led through the basics of locating his flight muscles, flapping his wings, and putting an emphasis on making him aware of the downward motion to propel himself up.

“Every action must have an equal and opposite reaction,” Zelda had supplied helpfully, though her words did not magically make Link achieve the power of flight. If only.

Instead, the foreign appendages on Link’s back were proving to be his undoing as they refused to behave in the way he wanted them to. Every time he thought he’d managed to lift himself away from the grass beneath his feet, they’d fold. Without a solid floor to push off from, any updraft that Link managed to create beneath his wings simply failed to keep him aloft.

After crashing into the field once again, the Champions waited for Link to get back up and try again. Only this time he didn’t. His chest rose and fell as he heaved in large breaths, the likes of which he hadn’t needed to take since his transformation. He thought he’d managed to keep himself fit and active, but these wings and the muscles attached to them were proving otherwise. They were underdeveloped. Untrained. His short bouts of gliding here and there when he was smaller were not enough to fight against the pull of the earth now.

He sighed, watching the weeds in front of his nose rustle and bend only to spring back again once his lungs were empty. Resilient.

“Link?”

The tired dragon moved his eyes over to find Mipha standing next to him. She held out a hand but did not quite touch him. The offer there but unsure if was what he wanted right now. Link shifted his head closer to her so her palm pressed flat against the loped ridges along the sides of his face.

‘ _You’re exhausted,’_ she noted, crouching beside him.

Link just nodded, as formulating a confirmation was rather pointless given that she could feel his fatigue as clearly as if it were her own.

‘ _Rest for a bit. You’ll get there. I know you will. Practice makes perfect and all that.’_

Nayru bless Mipha.

Flicking an ear back, Link could hear voices from across the field but couldn’t be bothered to hone in to hear them more clearly. He gave a rumble of inquiry instead, sending Mipha a mental picture of the other Champions and the Sheikah trio for now.

“Impa hasn’t said much, as per usual, but Revali is taking a break as well. He’s been flying alongside you on every attempt and you two have been going for well over an hour now. Urbosa and Daruk are a bit out of their element but they’re encouraging you along all the same. They want to see you do well. Also, I’m pretty sure I saw some complicated calculations going on between Purah and Robbie. Probably some aerial science I can’t hope to ever understand. Maybe Zelda will translate for us.”

Link huffed a laugh and there was warm hum from Mipha, pleased that her efforts to lighten his mood had been rewarded. Taking in another lungful of air, he watched the grass before him be disturbed with his exhale again – a couple of grasshoppers fled. It would be nice to just continue to lie here, but he couldn’t. He had to keep trying.

Getting to his feet, he winced as he drew his wings in and Mipha was there immediately, hands glowing and ready to heal his aching muscles but Link stopped her.

‘ _No_.’

“Link, it’s hurting you. It will only-“

‘ _If you heal them, they won’t learn. They won’t strengthen or grow. I just need to give them a rest.’_

Mipha sighed but relented, instead placing hands devoid of grace against his neck. They walked back to the group.

“Ready to try again?” Revali asked, turning to them as they approached. He knew Link would have no intention of giving up.

Link nodded his head.

“Good. Give it another five minutes. You don’t want to pull something. We’ll be pushed back hours if you do that.”

A reasonable suggestion.

With his commanded downtime now in effect, Link craned his neck around Revali to see the two Sheikah Scientists deep in conversation. They were still sat in their chairs with their note books open on their laps. Diagrams and formula were scribbled all over the viewable pages. There was even a set of quick sketches of what Link could only imagine was what he looked like running. According to their observations, his body seemed to scrunch together in the middle before lengthening out again as he pushed himself forward.

He cocked his head to one side, in an effort to see the sketches the right way round, and Purah obligingly angled her notes towards him. Now that the Sheikah could see that they had captured his attention, their chatter turned towards him.

“We were thinking that perhaps there’s an optimum speed you need to reach to give yourself enough forward momentum?”

“It could also be that the timing of your wings are not in synch? We’ve been trying to apply the same mechanics that a bird uses but they’re not quadrupeds. I’ve never encountered anything on four legs try to fly before.”

More theories and suggestions were relayed to him, under the guise of encouragement but Link knew that they were finding this fascinating. Just as Zelda had in the early days of his transformation. A chance to test hypothesis and stretch their knowledge on the blueprints for known organisms. He didn’t mind. At least his time spent here was beneficial to _someone_ , but he would prefer to come back out here on his own later tonight. His night vision was vastly improved from that of a well-trained Hylian so continuing his trial and error alone would not be a problem.

At the moment, it just felt like he was wasting their time being here.

‘ _You wouldn’t hear the end of it from Purah if you tried to come out here without her,’_ Zelda said. In his periphery, he could see her still standing a few feet away with the other Champions. All of them clustered together, speaking of strategy, but even though she faced them she was speaking to him. ‘ _The Sheikah are trying to be polite about it, but they’re itching to get a good look at you, really see what you can do. You’re living evidence of Divine intervention. Although … I think Purah mainly wants you for your electrical abilities. I can’t read her mind, but she’s forward enough about her thoughts that you don’t have to.’_  

‘ _My electrical abilities?’_

‘ _From what I gather, you generate a source of static from within you. Urbosa controls naturally born sources of electricity up in the stratosphere, using her power to guide them down to the ground where she wants as lightning. But you can create it.’_

‘ _Does that mean, if I create it, Urbosa could wield it?’_

He actually saw Zelda freeze in place, obviously enough that it drew the attention of the other Champions.

‘ _Now that’s a thought,’_ she said, and already the cogs were turning. ‘ _It’s a pity the Champions are leaving soon after this.’_

A pity indeed, and all the more reason for Link to get back to what he was doing lest he get sidetracked by another skill he had not been training as much as he should have. Besides allowing a healthy outflow of emotion to stem the more chaotic aspects of his lightning, he had not done much else with it.

In fact, the last time he’d produced a sizable amount of electricity had been when he’d fended off the Yiga. He’d been furious and panicked, desperate to drive the last remaining assassins away after having dealt with the fir-

The first Yiga. The one whose neck he’d torn through after falling out of the sky!

‘ _I’ve flown before.’_

The chattering ceased as Link’s thought was projected for all of them to hear.

“Beg pardon?” Revali asked, sidling up to him with a faux-cheery air as he draped a wing over Link’s back, “because that sounded like you were saying you _do_ actually know how to fly and this has been pointless pandering.”

Link shook his head. In lieu of verbal answer, he recalled his descent out of the air as he dived for the Yiga clansmen. Zelda’s hissing intake of breath didn’t go amiss and Link thought to apologise for his insensitivity but Revali cut over him.

“And how, exactly, did you get up there? Someone fire you out of a canon, because it’s looking like that’s the only way we’re gonna get you to- Hey!”

After being tapped on the shoulder by Urbosa, Daruk had clamped his massive shovel-like hands on either side of the Rito Champion’s body and lifted him into the air. As Daruk manoeuvred an indignant Revali out of the way, Urbosa stepped in to his place, fixing Link was a serious stare.

“Ignore him for now. But I think you’re on the right track with this, you just need to focus. There was nothing in the area to propel you into the sky, so how did you reach such a height advantage?”

Link racked his brains for the memory, but the harder he tried the more elusive that specific moment in time was. His mind was just cotton wool which refused to make way for him. Seeing the distress in the crease of his brow, Urbosa placed a hand on his head and spoke to him softly.

“Remember what I told you. Let go.”

Closing his eyes, he took a breath in and out again, calming himself down. Gathering all of his misgivings from the last hour and his frustrations into his chest, he exhaled them out into the air, away from him. A couple more times rid himself of the lingering negativity and he thought back to that day again.

He’d been running. Running so fast to get where he needed to be, because he had to get there in time. There was no other option. He couldn’t fail. Then a dune had obscured his sight of the Princess and her assailants. He’d put his head down to run faster. Faster and faster, feeling static gather in his legs as he charged up the sand dune until he soared into the sky.

_Let go._

He opened his eyes.

‘ _I need a big hill.’_

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

“This is stupid,” Revali scorned, as he stood in a line along with his fellow combatants at the bottom of a hill in the middle of Hyrule Field. It was a hill with the biggest incline they could find in the immediate area. “I could understand flinging yourself off the top for some height but to run _up_ it? Surely he’d want to go down for extra momentum.”

“You can take off from being stationary,” Urbosa reminded, keeping her eyes on their Dragon friend who was stretching out his long body to make a run. “If this is how he needs to go about it…”

“I guess,” Revali exclaimed, throwing his wings up in an elaborate shrug.

“None of this makes any sense to me,” Daruk grumbled, taking a seat in the grass and still managing to be taller than everyone around him. “What’s wrong with being on the ground? Why ya’ gotta be up there? Nothing beneath you, not sturdy enough.”

Revali looked disgusted, but Mipha was actually in agreement. The air didn’t look safe at all. It was just empty, not at all like the comforting embrace of water. She kept this opinion to herself however in case the Rito popped a blood vessel

“Link just wants to make use of everything he has at his disposal,” Mipha said diplomatically instead. “It’s why he was so glad that you agreed to teach him, Revali.”

The Rito scoffed, “yeah, because that went _swimmingly.’_

Mipha narrowed her eyes, “was that a-“

“Look, I think he’s ready!” Zelda cried, half in genuine excitement and half in desire for her Champions to cease arguing.

Shuffling his feet in the dirt, Link pawed some grass out of his way and re-settled his weight until he had a stance he was happy with. He tried to recall the determination – no – the _desperation_ he had felt before jettisoning himself off the top of that sand dune in the desert. He’d done it without realising it. It was just something that he had needed to do.

But now he had to re-create that on purpose.

Tensing his back legs for a split-second he released the stored energy and sprung forward, bounding over the ground and up the hill. Before he even reached the top, however, he hit the brakes and skidded to a halt in a spray of upturned earth. The run was too short for his size.

He slunk back down again, ignoring the baffled looks of his small audience and found of patch of field that was a suitable distance away. A very long run up.

‘ _Of course. You’re much bigger now.’_

Explanations were rarely necessary with Zelda these days.

Link got himself ready and charged again, zipping past the onlookers with enough speed to cause their clothes to whip against their bodies. He stormed up the slope of the hill, that same tingling feeling building in his legs and he heard cries of surprise from the crowd behind him but he didn’t stop. His wings had flared out to the side halfway through his run, completely unbidden but feeling natural all the same. They beat to the speed of his feet thumping along the ground and as he crested the top they beat down hard against the last solid patch of ground before open air lay out before him.

Up and forward.

And then he was weightless. All of his feet were off the ground and he remained suspended in the air, glorious and free, as his own shadow was cast against the grass below. Grass that was gradually getting closer and closer. He beat his wings to propel himself upward and the strain nearly caused them to buckle and fold again but he fought against it. He was flying, he really was flying. Then a thought occurred to him.

_Revali never told me how to land._

That was all it took for his concentration to break and for his wings to falter. He plummeted.

Luckily, he hadn’t been that high but at his size the impact was not to be taken lightly and he still had a ways to roll down on the other side of the hill before coming to a stop. He could hear the shouting and yelling as the band of onlookers ran over to his landing site.

_Ha, more like crash site._

He was a little dazed, lying in a heap as he ruffled grass with his heavy breathing yet again. Then came the pain. A sharp twinge, followed by a sickening wave that radiated out from a point on his right wing. He turned his head in small increments, careful in case he’d done damage to his neck in the tumble, and saw the limb held unnaturally upright.

 _Oh. That’s broken_.

Thankfully, he didn’t have to wallow and grimace in pain by himself for too long. The rhythmic drumming of running feet against the ground alerted him to the Champions heading the charge over to him, but they were all beat to the post by Revali. His gale slammed into the ground beside Link, sending a wave of air to ripple the fields around him and from his back dropped Mipha.

“You’re welcome,” Revali said shortly, stepping out of the way as the Zora Champion darted in.

She pointed a finger at his face, “you’re not stopping me this time.”

‘ _Wouldn’t dream of it,’_ Link answered, groggily, his body pleading with him to just fall unconscious so that he didn’t have to deal with the pain and shock anymore.

As Mipha got to work and his mind was slowly returned to him, he caught a glimpse of Revali’s face. Despite the deep blue plumage, he couldn’t help but think that the archer looked a little green.

‘ _Revali?_ ’

He jumped at the intrusion but just as quickly brushed it off, instead focusing on what had caught Link’s attention.

“For a Rito, a broken wing can mean death,” he said quietly, voice oddly sombre for one so usually vibrant.

It certainly explained his near queasy expression. A broken wing of this scale was also not a pretty sight but he’d never taken Revali to be the squeamish type. He smiled, still a little loopy in the aftermath of healing.

‘ _The Rito don’t have a Mipha.’_

Revali rolled his head back slightly, considering, “True.”

By this point the others had caught up, Zelda looking very out of breath as she collapsed in front of Link to take his face in between her hands.

“Are you alri- … oh,” she finished, weakly, upon spotting his wing which was still snapped in two, halfway down the forelimb. “Anything else broken?”

He gave a mental shrug.

Wincing, she then took it upon herself to inspect Link over for any other damage; a few missing and bent scales, a couple of feathers torn from his tail. However, it seemed that the worst injury was already being attended to. Between Urbosa and Daruk, they were able to delicately lift and extend Link’s wing so that Mipha could align the pieces of bone back together and start mending them in the correct position. Her hand remained in contact with Link all the while, intent on keeping the pain at bay as she worked.

“I can’t tell if you got lucky or not,” Zelda breathed, as she came back around the front to look him in the eye. Eyes which were still a little cloudy and unfocused. “But you definitely flew, for what it’s worth.”

“For all of ten seconds,” Revali quipped, his attitude returned now that Link’s wing was no longer at right angles with the rest of him.

“Given that he’s never flown before I’d say that’s an achievement. And in only one day too,” Urbosa smirked, clearly in attempt to goad Revali, but Link was a generous soul and had to give credit where it was due.

‘ _A student is only as good as their teacher.’_

The Gerudo actually looked surprised at the remark and it even took Revali a couple of seconds to process such a genuine compliment. It wasn’t long before he got his bluster back, quickly proclaiming how grateful they should all be for his time, but unbeknownst to them Link shared a secret smile with Zelda as she internally beamed with pride.

“Either way,” Revali concluded, forcing Link to zone back in to the monologue, “looks like you just need to build up the strength in your flight muscles. Your body knows what to do, you just over think it too much. Something I never thought I’d apply to you.”

“It’s odd though,” Mipha wondered, poking her head out from under Link’s wing to join in the conversation, “but should it really take that much of a toll on him? He’s not exactly unfit.”

There was an aborted snort from Urbosa and Zelda very quickly turned away from them to hide her face, but Daruk brought up a hand to scratch his chin in contemplation.

“Maybe, but Lil’ Guy isn’t so … well … _little_ anymore. Whatever training he used ta’ do probably isn’t enough anymore.”

That brought Link up short. It also seemed to bring everyone else to a stop too as they turned to face the Goron. But he had a good point. While Link had maintained the same level of strength relative to his size that he’d had before his transformation, the amount of work he’d been doing since had not progressed to match his growth. In fact, at the rate he was going, he might even be at risk of losing some of his strength without the constant challenge of more strenuous training.

“Easy enough to change though,” Daruk continued, and he punched the air with a tight fist, “ya’ gotta’ just up your game! Big guys like us need harder challenges, nothing beats a good ol’ Goron workout. I’m sure you can handle it.”

It sounded slightly daunting, Link’s mindset still often back in his small, lithe Hylian body, but his new size was going to demand tougher training in order to keep it in shape. Otherwise, he would become a very fat, lazy dragon which would be of no help to anyone. Especially not against Ganon and everything Link did these days was in an attempt to prepare himself for that.

 _One step at a time,_ Link thought to himself. Harder training meant stronger muscles, stronger muscles would be able to take the toll of flight. But what could I use to train with?

“Well, if it’s a good workout you need, I know of some rather heavy equipment that needs moving,” Impa said sardonically from the sidelines.

Link almost jumped. He’d completely forgotten she was there.

“Oh yes!” Purah agreed, a little too eagerly, “it’s some stationary version of the guardians we discovered that we want to place on the look out towers around the Castle. But they’re a bit too heavy for our cranes to lift so we’re having some problems constructing stronger machinery for the job. I’d also like to have a word or two with you.” A sharp cough from Zelda caused the Sheikah’s lips to pout and she heaved a dramatic sigh, “a word or two, _if you don’t mind helping us, oh pretty please_.”

Link nodded. It sounded like that sort of activity was just what this body needed.

There was a faint ring of alarm from across his emotional tether and he could feel the objection bubbling up inside Mipha. She had just finished knitting his bone back together and repairing the tissue damage surrounding it, the limb now as good as new. She gave the unblemished scales a stroke as she chewed on the desire to voice her concerns, but before she could Purah laughed. Never a good sign.

“Oh, that’s not what I wanted to talk to you about,” Purah said, eye’s gleaming as she leaned right into his face and Link actually went cross eyed to keep her in focus. “I want to talk about the lightning you made just before take-off.”

**\-------▲▲▲-------**

Despite Mipha and Zelda insisting that he rest for the time being, Link was eager to get involved with whatever Purah and Robbie had planned.

“Listen. The image of your wing almost snapped in two is enough nightmare fuel for the next two weeks. I’d rather not have to repair it again anyrime soon, especially as I won't be here,” Mipha had shuddered.

But Link did not like the idea of just sitting about doing nothing. He felt fine now that Mipha had completely healed him. Even the shock had worn off. He doesn’t need to take a ‘day off’. The entirety of winter had felt like one big day off to him and today had highlighted just how much he needed to get back into being productive again. Doing errands and odd jobs here and there, dare he say it, he’d actually missed it. If the Sheikah scientists wanted him to do something for them he was going to do it.

“Link, as much as I enjoy spending time in the lab, it’s not at the cost of your wellbeing. Do you even get days off? Wouldn’t you like to just laze about for the rest of the day?” Zelda asked.

The idea was tempting and had it been any other day he probably would have agreed. He and the other Champions lounging about in the sun before they left for their homes sounded relaxing. Oh to be a fat lizard on a hot rock some day. But he didn’t want relaxing right now. He wanted purpose.

‘ _Consider this, Princess. If I’m requested to be there, then you would need to be there too so I can ‘keep an eye on you’. As per your fathers orders, of course.’_

This gave Zelda pause.

“Oh. That’s _sneaky_.”

Link refused to apologise.

Ecstatic to actually have the Dragon Champion on board, Purah was firing off on all cylinders as she charged ahead into the courtyard, Robbie close behind as he dashed after her to keep up. Link and Zelda were just about to follow when the Princess felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to see Revali looking down at her, face void of emotion.

“Yes?”

He glanced behind him to where the other Champions were stood, looking half bemused and half regretful, and with a sinking heart Zelda realised this was goodbye.

“Right, you all need to get home. Of course,” she nodded, swallowing a sudden lump in her throat. She felt the same feelings reflected back at her from Link too. “I am very grateful for having you all here and for all the help you have been to both myself and to Link. I…”

She sniffed. She really didn’t want to start crying out in the open like this but she was surprised to realise just how much she was actually going to miss them. It had genuinely been lovely having them here with her at the Castle for the past week. Daruk, as sturdy and constant as the mightiest of Gorons, had always been ready to share his valuable gems of insight just when you most needed them. Urbosa, as always, had been a pillar of steady support and safety in a place that was usually filled with such uncertainty. Despite Revali’s pompous air, he had proved to be a highly helpful individual over the past week; preparing Link for what he would need to undergo in order to fly as well as being a fountain of confidence to carry them through their uncertainties, intentionally or not. Then there was Mipha. She had grown close to her over the winter, rekindling the friendship they had shared as children and reawakening the admiration she'd once held for her fellow Princess.

Just as Zelda’s throat constricted and her vision started to blur with gathering tears she felt Link behind her, standing much closer than protocol would call for. He held his wings loosely out to the sides, as if in a pose of casual rest, shielding her from view from those behind in the courtyard.

Her Champions.

“Come here, little bird,” Urbosa murmured, and she came forward to gather the Princess up in a hug. Her embrace firm but comforting. “Come visit the desert soon. Perhaps, Link will even offer to fly you?”

She winked up at her Dragon knight, who showed no other reaction to having heard her than a simple blink, but he was chuckling on the inside.

“He might need a bit more practice before that happens,” Zelda said, delicately, and she received a puff of air to the back of her head for her troubles.

“Ha! He’d better,” Revali declared, pointing at Link with a stern pinion. “I expect you to fly in to Rito Village next time the Princess visits or I’ll shoot you.”

‘ _Challenge accepted.’_

“Right on, brother!” Daruk cried, grabbing Link’s head under one arm and hugging him tight. Much to his alarm.

“Just make sure he doesn’t overdo it,” Mipha implored, taking Zelda’s hands into hers as she went on to say, “and make sure you take care of yourself as well. He’s not the only one prone to pushing themself too hard.”

Zelda fought down a flush at that but gripped the Zora’s hands tighter.

“I will try,” she promised, and Mipha awarded her with a quick kiss to the back of her hand while everyone else was busy watching Link struggle to get out of Daruk’s headlock.

As Zelda furiously blinked back the rising heat to her cheeks, the Zora moved on to give Link a farewell kiss of his own, for which he stopped struggling momentarily yo receive. He glowed just a little brighter.

After everyone had said their goodbyes – and Link had been freed – Princess and knight watched their fellow Champions walk away from them to start their journeys home. They could see them talking amongst themselves as they went, having some last minute conversations before they too would need to say goodbye to each other.

Until next time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I struggled to get this one out tbh, but I was reading back through all the comments on this fic as my MSc is giving me a hard time and you are all so kind! ;;


End file.
